Marry Me
by Morphme
Summary: Kim's heading back to Angel Grove after things don't pan out for her in Florida. She's excited to get her life back until she learns that Tommy is set to get married to Kat - in three weeks! Not only does she have to pretend to be happy for him, Kat entrusts her with helping plan the wedding in her absence while she's in London. Will Kim be able to handle this and her emotions?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello everyone! This is my new fanfic titled Marry Me, inspired by the song Marry Me by Thomas Rett. (Isn't he tiny and adorable?!) This will be longer than the one shots I have been writing and I hope everyone enjoys it. I just wanted to ask you guys to be kind when it comes to my grammar and spelling. My laptop is older and the area of the S,D,A,E buttons sticks which turns my 'she's' to 'he's' more than I like. And I'm also not perfect. Another thing is that I'm just going to shamelessly add that I've published a few books if anyone would be interested in reading them.

Anyways, thanks for stopping by. As always, I do not own the Power Rangers or any of the songs mentioned in this piece.

Enjoy!

 **Marry Me**

 _A Power Ranger Fanfic_

"Kimberly Hart, please report to the front office." The monotone voice said on the loud speaker above my head. The tone vibrated throughout the aisles of the Stop-N-Go grocery store, the customers not paying any attention to the voice. They continued on with their day, grabbing things off the shelves and placing them in their carts and baskets as they went on with their lives. Sighing, I stood up from my place on the floor where I had been shelfing tuna fish for the last fifteen minutes. When I stood, my knee grazed a stack of them which sent them rolling everywhere. Grumbling under my breath, I scooped them up and tossed them back into the box. I would get to them when I came back from whatever stupidity this was.

Walking towards the front of the store from the back end of aisle 8, I thought about how I ended up here. Not two years ago, I was one of the leading gymnasts in the country. People were cheering for me and calling out my name every time I graced the matt. Now, I was stuck in a dirty red apron that at least a dozen other teenagers before me had worn. I walked past customers and the kids I work with, some of them giving me a sideways glance as I passed. I knew what they thought of me. I wasn't an idiot. And the stoner kid that worked in the freezer section had told me the gossip about me. How I had blown every chance I ever had at a career because of my own stupidity. If they only knew what I was doing when I was their age. I'm sure they would shut their zit covered faces. But that couldn't happen now, could it?

Working here wasn't all that bad I suppose. It's a steady job, decent pay and I get some benefits. The people I work with are mostly teenagers, but they aren't all that bad. And there are a couple more people who work here that are closer to my age. We tend to stick together, hoping to override the teens someday. The kids for the most part are the typical too dumb for their own good teenagers. There's a handful of them that are good eggs. They reminded me of my friends from when I was that age. I really hoped that they wouldn't be working here when they get to my age. Not that I'm fifty or anything. I just turned 21 this past February. But being around teenagers all day makes you feel like you're ninety sometimes.

Skirting through an empty line between two closed registers, I headed for the front end where the dark brown wooden door was closed. Management was printed on the front of it along with the schedule for the week and who to call if there was an issue. I rolled my eyes at the name Mark Anderson that was scribbled on there for the manager of the week. That snot nosed kid was nothing but a jerk. I sized myself before knocking because I knew I would be finding him behind the door.

"Come in." A nasally voice said behind the wood. I turned the brass knob and opened the door, revealing Mark. He was a kid that was too skinny for his own good and enough red hair to make it look like he had fire piled on top of his head. His typical attire of a short-sleeved button up and a tie too big for him greeted me as well as his annoyed expression. He looked at me like I had interrupted him doing something important on the dinosaur computer in front of him. "Yes, Kimberly?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"You paged me, Mark." I replied, trying my best to not sound irritated. It was hard not to be around this kid. I hated the fact he was my 'boss' now. He had been one of the bagger kids until he was promoted by the owner a few weeks ago. The owner just happened to be his stepfather. He couldn't be bothered to come to the store as much to manage the employees, so he hired his teenaged son to do it instead. I guess Mark wasn't that bad of a kid in retrospect, but he let the promotion go right to his head. He's fired three stockers already, leaving us all shorthanded and he walks around here like he has the power of God in his hands. Mark also thinks that he's God's gift to the girls that work here. That didn't start until he was promoted. Before, he barely had the nerve to look at a girl, let alone approach one. Once he became manager, he instantly thought he would become a hot commodity in our little store. He asked out all the girls his age and each of them turned him down. After that, he started on the older girls, including me. He said he really liked my brown hair and how it reached my "most valuable asset."

"Right. Right. Shut the door and have a seat." He motioned to the chair across the desk from him. I ignored his request to shut the door and sat down, keeping it open a crack so I could still hear the bustle of the front end of the store. I didn't trust this weasel as far as I could throw him.

"What's up?" I asked.

"You were late this morning. Again. We've talked about this, Kimmie." He said, leaning back in his chair. He made my skin crawl when he called me that.

"I was here on time. I was helping Carlos round up carts in the parking lot before I made it into the break room to clock in." I replied. "I was going to tell you before I went on break today."

"You need to get here on time. This is the third time I've talked to you about this since I became manager. I know you say you were here helping others but how do I know if that's true?"

"You check the security cameras that are in the parking lot." He shrugged his shoulders, leaning forward on his desk.

"It would just be easier for me if you came in on time and did your work. I've been watching. You've been stocking slower than usual." He looked at me like he was trying to explain a math problem to a monkey. I could feel the anger bubbling in my chest, but I pushed it down. I couldn't let him get to me today. Rent was due in three days and I needed every penny of my paycheck to make sure I have it all or else I would be out on my ass.

"Because I've been covering my inventory and helping with the others since you fired them." I said through gritted teeth. This kid was out of his mind sometimes. He could use a good ass beating but I knew it wouldn't be the best idea. "I'll pick up my pace and work longer if you need me to." I offered but he shook his head before the words were even fully out of my mouth. I should have known.

"Oh no. I can't pay you overtime. I've told everyone that already. You already knew that you would be covering more until we can hire someone else. It's nothing but excuses with you, Kimmie. And your attitude isn't the best. What am I going to do with you?"

"It's Kimberly." I retorted, unable to stop myself. I wished with every part of me that I could tell this little pervy creep where to shove his concerns, but I didn't.

"Right. Right." Standing up, he walked around the corner of the desk and stopped by the door. The office was small and cramped so he had to bump into the back of my chair to do so. I heard him pull it shut behind be before walking over to the corner of the desk. He leaned on the edge of it and loosened his tie with his right hand. "Kimberly, you really don't leave me with a lot of choices. I like you. I really do. And you've been here for about a year now and you're usually a good worker. I just can't keep someone who isn't willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Unless…we could work something out."

"What do you mean?" I asked, the hairs on the back of my neck starting to stand on end. Mark move forward and set his hands on my knees. I froze, my eyes darting up to look at him. Licking his lips, he moved to slide his hand further up my thigh. I didn't know where he thought his hand would end up, but I knew where it wasn't going. My instincts went into effect and I felt myself grab his wrist. Before I knew it, I was pinning him face first against his desk. He squealed out in pain, his arm twisted behind him and his wrist bent at the wrong angle. I had barely felt myself move, the adrenaline coursing through me as my heart pounded in my ears.

"Stop! Stop! I'm sorry!" He cried out, tears brimming his eyes. I put an ounce more pressure and he squealed harder. "I'm sorry, Kimberly!" I let go of him, shoving him towards the space behind the desk. He cowered there, cradling his wrist against his chest. He looked at me with wide eyes as if he had been mauled by a lion. I shoved the chair I had been sitting in to the side, knocking things over as I did.

"Don't you dare think that is acceptable to do to someone! You're nothing but a kid yourself and you think you are going to sexually assault me?!" I exclaimed, pointing a finger at him. "If you do that to one of the girls here, you'll end up in jail and listed as a sex offender for the rest of your life. You're lucky I don't run off and tell the police right now what you did, you disgusting weasel." I couldn't stop myself. Everything I was feeling inside was bubbling out as I lashed into him. Grabbing my vest, I pulled it off and flung it at him. "Don't worry about my job performance. I quit. I'm sure I can find another crappy job here in Palm Bay." Grabbing the door knob, I pulled the door open and stormed out of the office. He scurried behind me though as I headed towards the exit.

"I sure hope so because you're fired! I'll make sure you never work in this town again!" His creepy little voice called out after me. I flipped him the bird without looking back as I stormed out of the automatic doors.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The long walk home from the super market was filled with feelings of accomplishments but it faded into regrets as I walked up the front steps of my apartment complex. In the heat of the moment and my quick decision to quit, I had forgotten about the fact my landlord, Mr. Rodriguez, would be here on Friday to collect the rent money. I was already two weeks behind and he had been nice enough to let me make half a payment until I got my paycheck this week. Now, I would be three days short in my final paycheck. There was no way he would let that slide.

Frowning, I unlocked my door and walked into my small little living quarters. It wasn't much; a small bedroom, a tiny bathroom that was big enough for the old bathtub that was in it and kitchen/living room. Like I said, it wasn't much but this was home. A home I have been paying for all by myself. Well, until now. I walked over to the fridge and grabbed a diet Coke. Cracking it open, I noticed the red light on my answering machine was blinking from the phone on the coffee table. Tossing my keys on the table, I pressed play.

"Hey, Kim!" Trini Kwan's voice said from the speaker. I smiled at the sound of my best friend's voice. "Just wanted to see how things were doing. Call me!" The phone clicked, and the machine stopped. I grabbed the cordless phone and hit the first number on the speed dial. It rang twice before she answered.

"Hello?" Trini said, the sound of pots and pans banging in the background.

"Trini, what the hell are you doing? Summoning a demon?" I asked, plopping on the couch. She laughed, setting something down.

"No. I wanted to make Jason one of my grandmother's famous Korean dishes for our anniversary, but I don't think I have the right pan for the job. How are you?"

"I've been better." I grumbled as I took a sip from my soda. "You should ask Mrs. Scott. I'm sure she has every pan in the world."

"I just might. What's the matter?" She asked, sounding cautious.

"I quit my job today. That little fink tried to make a move on me. He had his hand on my thigh, Trini. I didn't know what else to do. So…I threatened to break his wrist."

"Oh my god, Kim! Are you okay?" She asked, worry in her voice.

"I'm fine. I just gave him a warning of why he should never do that to anyone and then I quit my job."

"Good for you! That kid was a loser anyway. Especially after the way he always kept staring at your ass. Good riddance! You got something better lined up?" I bit my lip. Trini always had life planned out ahead of time. I was pretty sure she didn't even wake up in the morning without having a full agenda mapped out.

"No. I didn't think I would end up unemployed." I responded. "Now I don't have enough to cover my rent this month."

"How bad off are you?"

"I need $400 by Friday." She whistled. I heard some more noise in the background. "Jason just pulled in. Do you want me to ask him if he minds letting you borrow it? I'm sure he won't."

"I don't want to owe you guys money." I whined, standing up from the couch. I paced the area between my couch and my kitchen counter.

"Kim, it's no big deal. We know you're good for it. You paid us back last time." My stomach knotted at that. This wasn't the first time they had to help me out with money. Last year, I caught the flu and had to call in for a week. It was before I had sick time, so I went without pay for it. If it wasn't for them, I never would have stayed above water. And here they were again, saving my ass because I suck at life.

"Maybe I should just look for somewhere else to live." I said, leaning against my fridge. "Somewhere cheaper. Maybe outside of Palm Bay."

"I know the perfect spot!" Jason Lee Scott's voice said from a distance over the phone. "Move back home, you airhead!" I rolled my eyes.

"Sorry. He made me put it on speaker phone." Trini said. I could almost see her apologetic expression for when her boyfriend acts up.

"Hi, Jason. I'm not moving back to Angel Grove."

"Why not? We're here. You'd have a place to stay, rent free might I add. You can stay here until you get back on your feet and find something for yourself." He replied. "It's really the best option in my opinion."

"Or I could find a new place here in Florida and not uproot my whole life." I responded. I set my empty can down on the counter and ran a hand through my hair. Jason was always on my case about coming back home. Ever since him and Trini came down a few months ago to visit, he's been bugging me to visit.

"Uproot your life? What do you have going on down there for you? A job? Nope. All your family is either in France or California. All your friends are here too. You can get a gig teaching gymnastics at the Youth Center until something else comes along." He reasoned.

"I hate to say it, Kim, but I think Jason has a point." Trini cut in. "If you stayed here with us, you could build up your resources and move wherever you wanted."

"You two are so predictable." I scoffed. "At the first sign of trouble, you want me to just drop everything and run back to where I'm not wanted."

"You are wanted, Kimberly." Trini said softy. "Everyone misses you. Especially us. The others ask about you all the time." Her voices lingered for a moment and I waited for her to say something else, but she didn't.

"It's been long enough. It's time to get passed everything." Jason's voice said, this time closer. "Look, Trini and I don't mind loaning you the money but sooner or later, you have to stop pretending that you're over everything that's happened. Tommy's gotten over it and I think you should too. Coming back here would be a fresh start for you and a whole new beginning for your future. You have nothing in Florida and all of us here."

"You think so?" I asked. I shook my head at the idea. There was no way I could move back to Angel Grove. Not after what happened when I left. "I don't think I'm ready for that."

"You'll never know unless you try. Sometimes, life doesn't wait for you to be ready."

"Have you been spending too much time with Trini?" I asked. The three of us chuckled and the air of the conversation became lighter. "I would love to see you guys again, but I just don't think I handle that right now. I still have three months left in my lease and I might have a chance at a job at the little store around the corner from me. I would appreciate the money though to hold me over until then."

"Consider it yours." Trini responded.

"$400 would also cover a train ticket to Angel Grove, just saying." Jason called out.

"He's persistent." I said flatly.

"You're telling me. Now, tell me all about kicking your boss's ass."

Friday morning rolled around and I spent a good chunk of time cleaning every surface of my apartment. Though it wasn't much, I like to keep it clean. Especially when I knew my landlord would be coming. Mr. Rodriguez was a taller Cuban man who owned a number of apartment buildings in the area. He wasn't like most landlords around here and actually cared about his tenants. When I had told him of my money problems in the past, he let me work it out with him as long as the rent was paid within a week. I was hoping he would be just as nice today since my last check still hadn't come in the mail. When I went to pick it up at the store, Mark had me removed by security and said my last check was sent out and could take six to ten days to get here. Now, I was short on my rent altogether. All I had was the four hundred that Jason and Trini had wired to me the other day.

Yesterday, I went to the little convenience store around the corner from my house. There had been a help wanted ad out front all week and I had hoped they were still hiring. Unfortunately, they weren't. So, I hit the pavement and applied everywhere I could think of. It was no use though. Even if I did land a job, there was no way I could come up with the money I needed by noon today. Glancing around my little apartment, I thought about what I would do when I would have to move. The option of living with Aunt Regina was always there. She was in Orlando and had offered me a place before. She was married now though, and I was sure her new husband didn't want me there. I did find a small hotel here in town that I could rent for a month for $350. It would work until I received my final check.

There was a knock on my door at noon sharp. My nerves made my hands shake as I opened the door. Mr. Rodriguez stood there, the tall and slender man tipped his baseball cap at me when he saw me. "Hello, Kimberly! How are you?" He asked, smiling. I smiled back at him.

"Hello, Mr. Rodriguez. I'm good. How are you?"

"Call me Victor, Kim. We've been over this."

"Sorry. Would you like to come in?" I motioned for him to enter as I stepped aside. He walked in, removing his hat as he did, revealing salt and pepper hair. He was dressed in a t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans, paint and other proof of construction work on his clothes. He owned his own business and often did work in the area. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"No. I'm good. Thank you though. How have things been?" I shut the door behind him, trying to find the courage I needed to beg him to let me stay.

"They've been better I suppose. How is your wife?"

"Maria is great. She wanted me to tell you she says hello. What's been going on?"

"I lost my job at the beginning of the week. I was supposed to get my final check this morning, but they mailed it out. All I have is $400 to my name but I'm willing to give it to you if you're willing to work with me on this. I know you've given me more chances than I deserve but I don't know what else to do, Mr. Rodriguez." I rambled on, not looking anywhere but at my hands in front of me. "I'm very sorry about this and I understand if you want me out." I felt absolutely pathetic as I pleaded my case to my landlord. I bet my friends back in Angel Grove didn't have this problem. Most of them were well on their way to being college graduates. I had a two-year degree under my belt that I don't even use and I'm on the verge of being evicted.

"Kimberly, relax. I understand. Life happens." He replied, gripping my shoulders in a fatherly way. I looked at him, trying to regain my composure. "My only concern for you is that you'll fall back behind in a couple weeks for next months. What is your plan then?"

"I'm hoping to have a job by then. I can do odd things until my lease is up though to pay for it all if I have to." Tucking his hands into his jean pockets, he shook his head.

"Even if you knew how to fix everything in the world, there's no way you'll be able to make that much doing odd jobs around here. Have you looked into a cheaper place? I wish I could lower the rent, but I have my own expenses to pay." I nodded.

"Yes, but I didn't find anything around here that I could afford, and I didn't want to break the lease here. If you take the $400 I have, I promise to have the rent to you on the first every month until my lease is up and then I'll be out of your hair."

"Kimberly, are you sure that's what you want?" I nodded. "Alright." Walking over, I grabbed the envelope that the Western Union had come in. I handed it to him and he glanced down at it He quickly counted it, pausing for a moment.

"Is everything okay? It was all there this morning." I asked, fear prickling my belly.

"It's all here. What does it mean by 'You could always come back home'?" He asked, pointing at the message line on the front of the envelope. Jason's handwriting was scribbled there.

"Oh. That was my friend. He wants me to come home."

"Where's home?"

"California. I lived there before I came out here." I explained.

"Oh. Is your friend willing to give you a place to stay?" He asked. I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, but I don't want to leave Florida unless I have to." He glanced down at the envelope for a moment, lost in though. After a few minutes, he held it out to me again.

"Take this. I don't believe I will be able to work with you on rent after all. But I am willing to let you out of your lease early. This way, you are free to move now if you'd wish."

"But Mr. Rodriguez, please. Please reconsider. I have nowhere else to go if you don't help me." I said, tears threatening to fall from my eyes. He pointed at the money order form in my hand.

"I think you do. Think about it at least. If you decide you want to stay, I'll work with you. If not, I'll let you out of the lease." Walking over to the door, he opened it. Turning to face me, he smiled. "Let me know tomorrow but make sure you really think about it."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you so much for the kind words and reviews. Here is the next chapter! Thank you for being patient for me as this is the first time I am writing and posting as I do. Usually, I write then post a few chapters at a time. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this nice long chapter. There is sort of a Power Rangers history review in this and please forgive me if it's not correct. I've only seen MMPR and it can be a bit hazy in my memory. Thank you!

As always, remember to R&R!

 _Chapter Three_

And think about it I did. After he left, I tried to call Trini, but she wasn't home. I had no choice but to sit on my ouch and ponder my choices. In one hand, I could stay here and find a new job and owe back rent until I'm ninety. It also meant staying away from the things I was running from and the things I had done. It was easier this way and I didn't quite understand why Jason and Trini didn't see things my way.

Growing up in Angel Grove was similar to that of a typical town anywhere else in America. Well, accept for the fact we had monster attacks on a daily basis. When I was fourteen, an evil witch by the name Rita Repulsa was able to escape her space dumpster and reclaim her throne on the Moon. She sought to destroy planet Earth and rule over it and the rest of our universe. When that happened, a team of warriors had to be formed and that's where the Power Rangers came from. They were five brightly spandex cladded fighters who defended Angel Grove and the rest of the world against Rita. They used these large machines known as Zords to fight her monsters (that could grow to the size of buildings) and other bad guys that came along the way. Angel Grove fell in love with the Power Rangers, their new protectors. The Power Rangers were led by Zordon, an intergalactic being who had been protecting the Earth from afar until Rita's presence brought him back. He was the one who assembled the rangers, picking five individuals to fill in the shoes of the Red, Blue, Yellow, Black and Pink Power Rangers.

And I was the Pink Ranger. I was shocked when Zordon selected Jason, Trini, Zach Taylor, Billy Cranston and I to be the Power Rangers. It was a bit hard to believe that he wanted teenagers to protect the planets. Especially when it's a giant talking head in a tube and a robot named Alpha breaking the news to you. It became easier to believe though when we had no choice but to morph into the Rangers to defend Angel Grove from a monster. That's when our team formed, and we fought on a daily basis to protect the town we grew up in. It was great being on a team with my best friends too. We knew each other and how to work off each other's strengths and weaknesses to find a way to beat anything Rita threw at us.

That is until she created her own Power Ranger. The Evil Green Ranger was one of the strongest enemies we ever had to battle. He was tough, fierce and didn't care that he almost killed us with each battle. It was like he got a sick joy out of it almost. And the worst part was that we didn't have a cue who this guy was in the beginning. It wasn't until Alpha and Zordon were able to lock in on his identity that we were able to discover that it was Tommy Oliver, the new kid at school. Tommy Oliver, the same boy I was falling in love with the moment my eyes first landed on him at the karate tournament where he faced off against Jason. When I found out if was Tommy, I thought I would be able to talk him out of working for Rita. It seemed to egg him on more with us knowing who it really was behind the mask. His attack become more ruthless and more frequent.

Thankfully, we were able to break the spell that Rita had on Tommy and he joined our side. With six rangers on our team, we became even more powerful. Rita tried even harder to beat us, but she never quite could. In came Lord Zedd, an even more evil and ugly bad guy who was out to destroy Earth with a lot more power than Rita had. He picked up right where she left off, managing to destroy not only our Zords but also finding a way to destroy Tommy's dwindling powers as well by making him sacrifice them to save the rest of ours. Without powers, Tommy was no longer able to morph and was forced to quit being a part of our team.

During his time as the Green Ranger and working with us, Tommy and I grew very close. He was my best friend and we did everything together. He taught me karate and different moves I could use in battle while I helped him with his balance and agility with skills I knew from my years of gymnastics training. We became constant staples in each other's lives and I found myself so deeply in love with Tommy that I hardly knew what to do with myself when he was around. When he lost his powers, I was fearful that it meant the end of our relationship, whatever it was exactly. Because I thought he would be leaving, I finally mustered up the courage to tell him how we felt. We kissed and solidified our feelings for each other.

A month passed, and we were surprised with a new White Ranger. We were all shocked but not as shocked as I was when it was revealed to be Tommy. He was back with new powers that no one could take away from him and he was given the reigns to be our new leader. It wasn't something that sat well with Jason as he had been the leader up until that point. I believe Zordon knew a big change was coming though as Jason, Trini and Zach were selected for a Peace Conference, forcing them to leave the Rangers. They were replaced by Rocky DeSantos, Aisha Campbell and Adam Park. Our new team members and friends were great, but I found myself sticking closer to Tommy and Billy, the only two remaining original members.

Shortly after, my parents announc3ed they were finally going through with the divorce that had been lingering between them and my mother met a man by the name of Pierre. He was a painter from France and fell head over heels for him. Which, that's all fine and dandy until she announced she was moving to Paris to be with him and to get married. I was mortified at the idea of moving out the country, away from my friends and away from Tommy. Thankfully, my mother agreed to let me stay in Angel Grove as long as Aisha's parents were okay with me staying with them until I was finished with high school. The idea was for me to head to France after graduation and then off to college where ever I decided on.

Our battles with Zedd raged on and Rita came back. The two of them were married and were more ruthless together than they ever were apart. But we fought them day after day and won. We won even when they brought in the help of Ivan Ooze, a disgusting purple alien who came so close to destroying Earth that it left us without powers and Zords for a bit. Zordon almost died as well. Things were going well, and I was so happy with my life. I had the best group of friends a person could ask for, school was close to coming to an end and I was part of a team that worked well together. Tommy was the best part of the whole picture. At that point, I knew we were meant for the long run. Everyone thought that same thing too. I used to spend math class planning out our wedding and how to incorporate everyone's colors into it. I had always thought we would head off to college together, get married, buy a house and spend the rest of our lives growing old together in Angel Grove.

Then Coach Schmidt happened. I heard word that he was coming to Angel Grove to observe gymnasts who might be able to qualify for his training team he was developing down in Florida. He had an exclusive facility and was looking for serious individuals with hopes of earning a spot on the Olympic team. At first, I didn't think much of him coming to Angel Grove. There was no way I could just up and go to Florida with my Ranger responsibilities and school even if he liked my skills. But my trainer told me to at least try. So, I did. Schmit watched me perform my balance beam routine and said that it was one of the most impressive he had seen in years. He offered me the chance to go to Florida. At first, I knew I had to say no. The Rangers needed me and there was no way I could just hop on a plane to Florida. I could never leave Tommy. He was everything to me and I couldn't picture being 3,000 miles away from him.

Unbeknownst to us, Rita had her own plan brewing. She put the new foreign exchange student, a girl from Australia named Katherine Hillard, under a spell to make her do horrible and evil things. She befriends us in hopes of stealing my power coin. My powers started to weaken and Lord Zedd was able to capture me. Tommy managed to save me but the damage to my powers was done. I talked to him and he helped me realize that it might be a sign for me to go to Florida. He was worried that I would be hurt or worse after I ended up in the hospital and he felt that it was my time to chase one of my life long dreams. He swore to me that no matter what, I would always have him to go home to. I believed him, and I knew he was right. I told Zordon of my decision and my powers were transferred to Kat who had been saved from Rita's spell. I left for Florida and joined Schmidt's team, making the worst decision of my life.

But that's a story best saved for a different life.

Standing up from my couch, I headed to my fridge. Pulling the door open, I grabbed the last can of diet coke from the top shelf and opened it. Hitting the fridge door with my hip, it closed shut as I took a sip from the can. My eyes lingered on the pictures hanging on the wall over my tiny kitchen table. There was five of them all together. The first one closest to me was of my mother and my brother, both of them smiling at the camera from their spot on the bleachers. They had flown in to watch me perform at the Pan Globals and Pierre had taken the snap shot for me. In the photo next to it, the smiling faces of Trini, Jason and Zach looked up at me. This was taken while they were travelling for the peace conferences. I received it in the mail shortly after they left. It's been with me ever since then.

On the far end of the line of photos, the picture of Aisha Campbell and me smiled brightly. I could still remember her fusing over her hair right before we posed for it. When I told her about me leaving, she insisted we took a picture together for my dorm. It was the same reason why the next picture was a picture of Billy and me. He was one of my oldest friends and it was extremely hard to leave him. The other boys had also taken pictures with me, but I didn't have room to hang them here. They were further into my living, hanging with a couple other snap shots I had gotten during my time here.

Slowly, my eyes gazed at the biggest picture that hung in the middle. It was in a black wooden frame, the glass casting a reflection on it from the window over my kitchen sink. I shifted on to my left leg more, so I could see it better. Looking back at me, I saw the group photo we had taken on my last day. We were in the park, saying our last goodbyes before I was set to head off to the airport. I was in the middle of the group, Aisha on my left squished between me and Rocky. Adam stood behind us, Billy on his other side. On my right, Tommy was standing there. His arm was wrapped around my waist and my hand lingered on his back. Everyone smiled at Kat who had been the one taking the picture.

Everyone but Tommy. While the rest of us was smiling forward, his eyes were looking down at me. A smile pulled at his lips, but it didn't reach his eyes like normally. I could tell from his expression that he was hurting. He never wanted me to go. He was just being supportive of me and what I dreamt of my whole life. He sacrificed his happiness for mine. I had been too blind to see it then. It's something that haunts me every time I look at the picture. I knew he loved me more than any other man would ever, and I just tossed him and his love away like a piece of trash. Now, he was living a whole new life without me, dating Katherine. At least that was what it looked like the last time I had seen them.

The phone rang, causing me to leap out of my skin almost. Grabbing my senses, I shook my head and walked over to the coffee table. Picking up the receiver, I brought it to me ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, Kim! I got your message. What's going on?" Trini's voice said in my ear.

"My landlord gave me the option of breaking my lease if I wanted to." I replied, taking a long sip off my soda. As I brought the can back down, my eyes fell on the picture again. Only, I could see just part of it. Half of the picture was covered by the sun. The other half I could see but my reflection looked back at me, Tommy sitting in the dead center of my face.

"What are you going to do?" Trini asked. I didn't reply. "Kimberly? Are you there?"

"I'm coming home, Trini." I replied, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I'm coming back to Angel Grove."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I am SO sorry for such a delay in this chapter. My life is a bit hectic right now but I wanted to update so you guys wouldn't hate me anymore than you might now. As always, I do not own Power Rangers but I am SUPER EXCITED for the announcement of the sequel to the movie! Well done, Hasbro!

 _Chapter Four_

"Train A803 now unboarding!" A man called out as I pulled my rolling suitcase behind me. The pink bag bounced off seats as I tried my best to squeeze down the aisle but I gave up carrying. This train had become my own personal prison since I boarded it 20 hours ago. I thought I was doing Trini and Jason a favor when I agreed to the train ticket. It was cheaper and gave them time to make arrangements for me to come into town. I didn't know I would want to hang myself by the time I rolled into Angel Grove. My ass hurt from sitting and I was exhausted. Surprisingly, one doesn't get the best sleep in one of the economy cars. I was lucky to have my own but I could still hear the couple in the next room enjoying themselves all night. I was ready for a hot shower and a chance to sit on something that didn't rattle on a track.

The sun was shining brightly when I emerged from the train car and down the steps. It felt amazing to be walking, even if it was just across the concrete platform. The warm California air felt nice on my skin and I could smell the salt water from the ocean nearby. Sure, Florida was surrounded by the ocean, but it had nothing compared to the waves of the Pacific. I couldn't believe how much I missed this. I walked up the platform towards the small staircase that led to the front of the building. I was only able to bring one suitcase on the train. The rest of my belongings were on their way here via moving truck to be held in a storage unit until I found my footing. Jason offered to let me keep some of it at his dojo, but I refused. I didn't want to clutter up any more of their space than I already was. It still didn't sit with me well that I would be living with them, but I didn't have much choice at this point. I couldn't go back to Florida now that my stuff was on its way here.

Walking down the steps, I was greeted by the traffic circle the looped in front of the train station. The bus station was across from that, people coming in and out of the front while busses lined up behind it. There was a parking lot on the right side of the circle and various food and newspaper vendors were set up on the sidewalk. There was a large billboard perched on top of the bus station. _**Welcome to Angel Grove, Home of the Power Rangers**_ was scrawled on it. There was even an image of the Megazord on it, leaning against the 'P' in Power Rangers. It looked more like a spokesperson for the town rather than a giant machine used to protect the earth from aliens. Shaking my head, I pulled my sunglasses off and looked up at it. Well, I definitely knew I was home now.

"In my opinion, it's a bit flashy. They are just asking for some bad ass alien to attack." A voice said behind me. Turning, a smiling Jason Lee Scott was leaning against the wall of the train station. His dark brown hair was cut short and a red sweat shirt covered his torso where dark blue jeans ran the length of his legs. White sneakers shined in comparison to his pants.

"Jason!" I exclaimed, dropping my suitcase so I could run over and hug him. He ran forward too, picking me up off the ground as he hugged me tightly.

"Jeez, Kimmy. You're nothing but skin and bone. What have you been doing down in Florida?" He asked, setting me down. He looked me over, frowning for a second. Leave it to him to worry. He always worries.

"Poor people don't eat." I remarked, winking at him. "Is Trini with you?" He shook his head.

"Nah. She had some stuff to do at home, so I said I would come pick you up. Your stuff came already. We managed to get it into your storage unit this morning. I don't recall you having so much stuff in that tiny apartment when we came to see you before." He said, bending down to grab my bag. He motioned me to follow him towards the parking lot, ignoring me as I tried to grab my bag from him. Somethings never change.

"I know. I didn't think I had that much until I packed it all up. Sorry. I thought I would beat my stuff here. I would have helped you and Trini put it away." He shrugged as we crossed the traffic circle.

"It was no big deal. Bulk and Skull gave me a hand." I stopped walking as we neared his red pickup.

" _Bulk_ and _Skull_ helped you?" I asked, making sure I heard him right. He nodded, unlocking the doors. He set my suitcase in the backseat and raised an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah. They changed a bit after you left. They actually work for the campus security here at AGU. Apparently, all they needed was some responsibility to not be…them so much."

"I find that hard to believe." I snorted, puling the truck door open. I climbed in, pulling the seat belt on as I did. He climbed in next to me, bringing his truck to life. "So, who knows I'm back?" I asked, not glancing in his direction.

"Just Trini and me. I figured it was something you would like to tell everyone. We are having a BBQ tonight though with some of the group, so you could see everyone." He stated, pulling out of the parking lot. He headed south, driving towards the center of downtown Angel Grove. I watched in amazement at the things that we passed by that hadn't changed since I left. The buildings were the same, the people were the same and the small-town feeling was the same. I smirked to myself before turning to him again.

"Whose coming?"

"Zach, Aisha, Rocky, Adam…" He trailed off.

"Jason…" I said, shifting in my seat to look at him.

"…Tommy." He finished, doing his best to not look at me. He shifted in his seat in obvious uncomfortableness. It read loud and clear on his face as my eyes narrowed to glare at him.

"Jason!" I exclaimed. "You've got to be kidding me. I told you I wasn't ready to see him yet and you _invite_ him over my first night back in town?!"

"Look, it was honestly an accident. We were going to have the BBQ before you decided to come back. When we found out you were coming, I tried like hell to see if Tommy could do anything else that night instead of coming. Kat's out of town though and his uncle doesn't have any races for him to gear up for. Besides, it's best to just grab the bull by the horns."

"Yeah or the Tigerzord by its teeth." I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest. "I'm sure once he sees me, he'll leave anyway. It's not like he's going to want to hang around with me there."

"You don't know that. The last time I checked, he still considered you one of his friends." He pointed out. I rolled my eyes. I doubted that very much. As much as Jason wanted things between Tommy and I to be fine, I knew they wouldn't be. Not after everything that happened between us. Not after what I did to him.

"Jason, you know as well as I do that this isn't the best way to handle this. He's going to be blindsided." I said, turning back to look out the window. My eyes fell on the park, the sun glistening off the surface of the pond in the middle of it. A small sad smile came to my lips as I thought of the last time I stood on its sanded shores. "Maybe this was a mistake." I whispered.

"Or maybe this is what you need to get passed all the crap that's happened." He took a left-hand turn and pulled up in front of a beige painted house. "Here we are!" He exclaimed, parking in the drive way. There was a black jeep parked in there as well. It was shiny, signs it had been recently waxed. "Zach's here already." Jason commented, pulling the keys from the ignition. I nodded, not moving. He turned in his seat, putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"I don't think I can do this." I whispered, feeling tears threaten to fall behind my eyes. I blinked, trying to hold them in. "Maybe I should just go to a hotel or something for the night. I'll be out of your hair and you won't have to worry about be ruining your night."

"Kimberly Ann Hart, how long have we known each other?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Ten years." I muttered.

"And how many of those years have we spent kicking ass together?"

"I don't know. Five maybe?" I could recall at the moment how long we had served as rangers together. I knew he had a stint after he left as one of the Zeo Power Rangers, but I didn't know how long.

"Exactly. After all that, I can't seem to think of a time where you were scared of anything. And if you were scared, you still faced it head on because you knew it was the best way to deal with it. I know you are terrified to face Tommy because of the break up but the only way things can get better between the two of you is if you treat it like any other bad guy; you gotta suit up and kick it in the ass."

"So, I should find some spandex and whoop his butt?" I asked, letting out a small giggled. He grinned, shrugging his shoulders.

"Hey, if it'll work I approve. C'mon. I know Trini is probably dying in there." He gave me a quick hug before hopping out of the truck. I took a deep breath and opened my door. On the other side of the driveway, I heard a screen door open and a small shriek echoed in the space between the cars and the garage.

"Kimberly!" Trini Kwan exclaimed as I shut my door. The former yellow ranger came running towards me before engulfing me in a tight hug. I returned the gesture, squeezing the slender Asian woman as tightly as I could. It had been quite some time since the last time I had seen Trini and I couldn't help the tears misting into my eyes again as she released me slightly to hold me at arm's length. "I am so glad you are here! You are looking too thin, girl."

"So, I've heard." I replied. We both laughed, wiping tears from our faces. "Thank you for letting me stay here, Trini. I don't know who else would just let their crazy poor friend move in with them."

"You aren't crazy! Poor, maybe." She grinned. "And besides, if we didn't, you know Aisha and Rocky would have let you in a heartbeat. We totally have your back." She hugged me again before turning her attention to her fiancé. "Zach's in the kitchen getting the burgers and chicken ready. It was the only distraction I had that I could think of."

"Good. Less work for me to do. You girls ready to go in?" Jason asked, walking around the side of the truck with my bag in hand. Both turned to look at me.

"I guess so." I said. Trini gave me a warm smile and took my hand. Jason opened the door that Trini had come out of and the two led me into their house. There was a small foyer in here that lead to a dark basement to the left and a small staircase to the right. Up these, there was another door that Jason opened. I could hear someone singing from my spot of the stairs as I saw a brightly yellow painted dining room come into view. A black table with eight chairs was set up on one side of the room and the other opened up into a kitchen filled with stainless steel appliances and a brown and grey granite counter tops. A breakfast nook separated the two rooms; a slab of granite counter perched on half a wall with cast iron stools under it. On the walls, I recognized some of Trinis artwork. In recent years, she has dived into learning more of her Korean heritage by practicing ink paintings and other forms of working with the media. Symbols were painted on colorful paper and framed on the walls. It looked just like how I would picture it and yet, it made me smile. My smile only broadened when I saw Zach Taylor standing in the kitchen. His back was too us as he made hamburger patties with the raw meat in the bowl in front of him.

"How many should I make?" He called over his shoulder. Taking a second to stop singing, he continued to sway his hips to the music that must be in his head because there was none to be heard.

"Well, there should be eight of us tonight, so I would do at least 16." Trini replied, winking at me.

"Eight? Are you sure, Tri? I mean there's you, Jase, Tommy, Rocko, Aisha, Adam and me. That's only seven, girl." He replied over his shoulder.

"No. She's right." Jason said, quietly setting my back in the doorway to the left of us. Zach grabbed the towel next to him and wiped his hands off.

"Guys, I know how to count. I might be handsome but I'm not stupid." He said, turning to face us. His expression went from confused, to shocked, to confused again and then a wide smile filled his face. He had an apron on that read Kiss the Cook on the front of it, but I could see a black button up shirt on his torso and dark blue jeans on his legs. Quickly, he untied the apron and tossed it on the back of one of the stools as he ran towards me. I barely had time to step past Trini before he picked me up in a hug.

"It's good to see you too, Zach." I giggled as he held so tightly I could barely breathe. He placed me back down on the floor and looked down at me. He looked exactly the same as the last time I had seen him. His features were still just as handsome, and his smile was still just as contagious.

"Kimmy! I didn't know you were in town. What are you doing back? Visiting?"

"Nope." Jason answered for me. "She's staying with us until she gets her own place." He said proudly.

"You're moving back to Angel Grove?" Zach asked, surprised. I nodded.

"Yeah." I replied, butterflies fluttering in my stomach. I guess I should get used to that question. Everyone would be asking me that. Hopefully, everyone would be just as excited as these three. Well, almost everyone. I already knew one person wouldn't be that thrilled to see me.

"That's fantastic! And you two." He pointed at Trini and Jason. "Why didn't you tell me? I could have made some of my famous macaroni salad for the occasion!"

"Maybe that's why we didn't." Jason replied, shrugging his shoulders. Trini rolled her eyes at me as she walked into the kitchen. There was a tray of burger patties and chicken breasts that Zach must have been preparing sitting on the counter.

"Are you trying to tell me that you don't love my salad? Cause that's crazy. Everyone loves it." Zach answered, putting his hands on his hips.

"That's what you like to believe. Olives don't belong in a mac salad." Jason replied, shaking his head.

"What?! That's what makes the salad! Kimmy, tell this fool that I'm right." Zach turned to me. I held my hands up.

"I'm staying neutral on this one." I giggled. "Actually, I could really use a shower. Do you guys mind?" I asked.

"Of course not! Come on. I'll show you where you'll be staying." Trini walked out of the kitchen and over to me. "Jason, go fire up the grill and get it hot. The corn is going to take forever as it is, and everyone will be coming soon."

"Yes, dear." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek that made me smile. I have always loved the idea of the two of them together. They were the definition of ying and yang. They fit so well together that it was a bit scary how well they worked. Linking her arm with mine, she pulled me towards the other room. I was met with a decent sized living room that was painted a light brown color with a black leather couch on one side of the room. A large tv was mounted to the opposing wall and a glass coffee table filled the middle. Pictures hung on the walls and a stairs case rose behind the couch. She pulled me up them where we found ourselves in a hallway painted the same color as the living room. There were three doors to the left and two to the right.

"Okay. So, this room right here is our room." Walking over, she opened the first door on the right. I saw a room painted a lovely shade of red with hues of golden and black in it. I smirked at her, noticing their colors all over the place. She nodded, reading my mind almost. "I know. It's tacky but he insisted." She moved on to the next door. "This is our home office." Inside the room, I saw two desks set up. One was neat and tidy while the other was cluttered. No genius needed to figure out who's was whose. It was painted a light blue color with white trim and hard wood floors, similar to the rest of the house.

"Very nice."

"I know. He's a hot mess." She moved on to the next door. "This is the bathroom." She popped open the door and revealed a modest sized bathroom. It was a pale grey color with white tile on the floor and around the dee bathtub on one side of the room. A stand-up shower was installed next to it along with a toilet and sink. "Jase and I have our own bathroom in our room so don't worry about leaving your stuff in here. And this," She said, turning to the next room. "Is where you'll be staying." As the door opened, I saw a bedroom that was covered in hues of pale purple. Here and there, I saw some pink pillows and other things. I knew it was Trini's attempt at making me feel at home. There was a queen size bed and a long white dresser, both nicer than my own things. I suddenly realized how much better they were doing in life than me.

"It's lovely. Thank you, Trini. Really. You guys have gone above and beyond to help me. I have no clue how, but I will pay you back for everything."

"Don't worry about it, Kim." She said, grabbing my hands. "We are just glad that we can offer you the help you need. I'm excited to have you here. It's boring living with a boy all the time!" She set my bag in the room and I followed her inside. "I'll let you get settled in and take a shower. I'll come up and find you when everyone gets here so that you can make your grand entrance."

"Great." I said, sitting on the bed.

"I know. I'm sorry. We tried to reschedule or at least nicely uninvite Tommy but there was no real way for us to do it. But if for some reason you need to get out, just let me know. I know the perfect get away plan."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The hot water felt amazing as I stood under the steady stream of it in the shower. The aroma of lilac and sweet pea from my body wash made the room smell amazing as I soaked in the relaxing sensation as much as I could. I could almost feel the stress of the train ride washing off of me as I scrubbed my skin. Their shower was amazing, and I couldn't wait until the chance to use that bathtub. It was practically calling my name at some point.

As I showered, my mind wondered to what was going to happen tonight. I knew that when I saw Aisha and Rocky, they would be excited. I was still on okay terms with them and spoke to Aisha quite frequently throughout my time in Florida. Adam and I hadn't kept much contact since I left but I didn't think he would hate seeing my face. When my mind came to think of Tommy, everything in my chest froze. I could already picture his face, the soft features turning hard. Much like they used to do when we were fighting our enemies or when we needed to come to a game plan. He had never used that expression towards me before, but I knew that there was no way I didn't deserve it right now.

After leaving for Florida and getting settled in, the long distant relationship was surprisingly working well for us. We wrote each other every other day and we spoke on the phone each night. Sometimes, he would call me during the day when he was with our friends. I was able to speak to them but most importantly, spend more time with him. I missed him terribly, but I knew he wanted this for me. So, I made it work. We both did. Things started to change for him though as fighting Zedd and Rita become worse. He told me that he wanted to find a way out of the rangers before it consumed his life, but he wasn't sure when the right time would be. When the battled grew longer and harder, he wasn't able to call or write the same amount as before. I understood. My own practices were getting rougher and more demanding as the first round of qualifying for the Pan Globals approached.

Around that time, Coach Schmidt was forced to bring in a small team of male competitors. His friend, Coach Rogers, had suffered a stroke and was no longer able to work until he was cleared for his health. He had a team of five boys that he was training and had no one else to fill in for him. The boys started coming to our practices and became part of our team. The oldest and most talent boy on the team was named Matthew Washington. He was seventeen, smart, funny and the only person on the team that was from the West Coast like me. We became fast friends and Coach Schmidt often teams us up since we were the oldest.

At first, it was nice to have someone to talk to. He was my first real friend besides my roommate Laura who was two years my junior. We would go out for frozen yogurt or rent movies to watch on the weekends. He knew about Tommy too and would let me talk about how much I missed him. He also had a girlfriend in Seattle where he was from. Her name was Renee and the two were planning to get married once he was back home. We often joked of double dates if our partners ever came to visit. It was great to have a genuine friend in Florida where I had no one. My contact with my friends was almost to a halt with the fighting and Jason, Trini and Zach being overseas for the conferences. He was the only one to talk to when I had a bad day or if something went well at practice.

Over time, I started to realize that I was developing feelings for Matt. I tried to deny it and fight it, but I couldn't help it. It wasn't that I stopped loving Tommy, but Matt was here. He was someone I could see smile in person or hug in real life. It was everything about Tommy I missed and wished I could have. Matt confided in me that he felt the same way and even went as far as to offer breaking his engagement off to be with me if I wished. I turned him down, knowing full well that even though I felt that way about him, Tommy was the person I loved with all my heart. A crush would go away. The love I had for Tommy never would.

Then Aisha told me about Katherine. It was an innocent conversation. She had called to tell me that things were finally letting up with Zedd and that her cousin Tanya was getting settled in on the team. She mentioned that Tanya had said something about Kat having a crush on Tommy. It didn't mean anything to me but then she said something about Tommy maybe feeling the same way. I found it hard to believe that he would but then I thought about it. He had spoken highly of her in the past few letters he had sent and had even said he was with her studying alone during one of our calls. Was it true? Was he moving on to someone else? Maybe I wasn't the only one who was feeling this way. I thought about asking him about it, but I didn't even know what to say. I tried calling him to talk about our relationship but when I did, Mrs. Oliver informed me that he was out with Katherine. It gave me the answer I needed.

I wrote Tommy a letter, explaining how I had found someone else. Granted, I did have feelings for Matt, I knew that they were nowhere close to that I felt for Tommy. I cried the whole time I wrote the letter and the days following it. I knew he received it after my friends stopped calling me. Trini called me a week or so after, telling me Jason had heard the news. When she asked me what happened, I told her everything. She told me that moving on was a part of life and that if I wanted to be with Matt, now was the time to figure that out. I knew she was right, so I told Matt I had broken up with Tommy. We went out a few times and started dating. It wasn't the same perfect feeling I had when I was with Tommy, but it filled the void I had.

I breezed through the first two rounds of qualifying for the Pan Globals, making the team with Matt and four other kids who were younger than us. I was excited for the chance and I knew Matt was too. We had a plan of competing together in the games and then coming back to Florida to gear up for the Olympics. Coach Schmidt was counting on us too. When the day came, we nailed it at the games. I secured myself on the US team but Matt, unfortunately, missed it by ten points. I knew he was upset. He punched the wall when he had heard his results, but he swore he was excited for me. He was placed on the secondary team and was told he would earn a spot if someone had to drop out. He continued to train and to help me train, showing me how he worked the balance beam in way he felt were better than my own techniques. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I knew deep down that I was better for a reason. I tried it his way though and most practices left me winded, but I felt confident that I was going to do well.

Two days before our bus was set to leave for the Olympics, I found myself practicing alone. That year, they were being held in Atlanta, Georgia so we would be driving there. We were given the night off and Matt decided to go out with his friends to celebrate. I took advantage of the empty gym to practice more. It was a mistake on my part. I was alone, no one knew I was there and I had no way to call for help if anything happened. And sadly, something did happen. I went to do a simple move and fell off the beam. I landed on my right ankle wrong and knew right away I had broken my ankle. I laid on the floor, screaming for help for what must have been hours before the assistant coach found me. I was rushed to the hospital where I was told what I had already fear; it was broken in three places and the Olympics were out of the picture for me.

I thought for sure that when Matt heard about my accident, he would be worried. It was quite the opposite. He came to the hospital to tell me he had to hurry back to his dorm to get his stuff ready to go. He would be taking my place. He then promptly broke up with me because he didn't want anything tying him down while he was competing. I was heartbroken as Laura helped me back to the dorm where I was forced to watch him ride off in my spot. I had not only lost my dream but also thrown away the love of my life because of some guy that shattered me.

Turning off the water, I climbed out of the shower and wrapped myself in a towel. Reaching out, I wiped the fog off the mirror and looked at my smeared reflection. That was the reason I was so fearful to see Tommy. I had broken up with him and unlike me, he had managed to start a successful relationship. He had moved one with Kat, something I learned the last time I had seen him. Jason had surprised me one day with a trip back home. I had been hesitant to go but he said it was to help the children's home and the juice bar. I agreed and naturally ended up kidnapped by Divatox, a space pirate that would become the major foe for the Turbo Rangers. She was planning on sacrificing Jason and I to some kind of volcano god as a wedding present. Thankfully, the Power Rangers were able to save us before we became a non-returnable gift.

That is when I saw Tommy and Kat together for the first time with my own eyes. It hurt far worse than I could have imagined. I booked it back to Florida before we could even talk. I wasn't too thrilled about seeing them together now. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know I still loved him. It was something I had tried to get over but no amount of trying worked. He was the love of my life and I had let him go. I was going to pay for that the rest of my life. I had to admit though that a small portion of me wished and hoped deep down that they weren't as happy as everyone made them seem. That they weren't the deeply in love couple that we used to be. Maybe that way, there was still a chance for Tommy and me. I didn't want to break anyone up, but I was willing to make things work if he ever was.

Getting dressed in my pale pink summer dress, I combed my hair and put a light layer of makeup on. I wasn't sure what it was for as it had been a long time since I had even put some on. I felt the occasion called for it though. I was so nervous about seeing everyone that my hands trembled whenever I stopped moving. Walking back to my room, I shoved my feet back into my flip flops. I heard someone of the stairs and Jason knocked a few moments later.

"Hey." He said, poking his head into the door. I turned to face him. "Aisha, Adam and Rocky are here. You wanna come down?"

"No Tommy?" I asked. He shook his head.

"Not yet. He had to help his uncle finish up some things at the track. He'll be here shortly though. He's supposed to let me know when he's on his way. I figured it would give you some time to prepare."

"Thanks, but I don't think all the time in the world would be enough for that." I straightened out my dress and walked towards him. "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

"We shall." He stepped aside so I could walk around him. The sound of voices travelled up the stairs case as I started down them. I could tell it was coming from the dining room. Aisha's laugh drifted through the air as I came to the bottom step. From where I stood, I could make out Rocky DeSantos' wide shoulders under the blue t-shirt he wore, black jeans making it pop. Aisha Campbell was perched in a bar stool next to him, her petite form dressed in a pair of white shorts and a flattering yellow tank top. I didn't see Adam, but I could hear him say something to Trini who stood in the door way of the kitchen. Her eyes looked up when she noticed I was in the room. Aisha and Rocky's turned to see what had gathered her attention and Aisha let out a loud gasp.

"Kimberly!" She exclaimed, hopping out of her stool and nearly tackling me in a bearhug. Thankfully, she wasn't much taller than me and I was able to keep my footing at she squeezed me. Rocky was right behind her, Adam Park trailing to see if he had heard correctly. When she released me, it was Rocky's turn. He wrapped an arm around me in a friendly hug as I kissed his cheek. Adam came up next, us exchanging a quick hug before the three turned to look at me for answers.

"What are you doing back, Kim?" Adam asked, crossing his arms over his chest. His black hair was cut shorter now than the last time I had seen him. He had a short sleeved green button up on and a black tank top underneath that. Tan khaki shorts made his legs looked toned and sneakers completed his look.

"I've moved back to town. Jason and Trini were nice enough to let me stay here until I get my own place." I explained.

"That is awesome!" Aisha explained, smiling brightly. "I am so glad to have you back here! Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wouldn't have been a surprise then!" Trini said. Jason walked around me to stand by her, resting a hand on the small of her back.

"I didn't know I was coming here until about 12 hours before I boarded the train here." I replied. "It was kinda a last-minute decision really. I'm happy to see you all, though. I've missed you so much."

"Trini!" Zach's voice called from the open kitchen window. "The grill is hot. Where's the meat?" Trini rolled her eyes, grabbing the trays of meat from before off the counter.

"It's like I have children with these two." She muttered, walking out the back door. Something made a chirping noise as Jason moved to pass us. He pulled a cell phone from his pocket and brought it to his ear.

"Hey, Tommy." He said, his eyes flashing in my direction. I felt my breath hitch. I suddenly prayed he had found something else to do after the track. "You're heading over now?" Crap. "Yeah, everyone is here. We'll be in the backyard. Just come around back when you get here. See ya then." He hung up and shoved the phone back in his pocket. Next to me, Aisha glanced between Jason and I before grabbing Rocky's hand.

"Why don't we see if Trini and Zach need help, boys? C'mon." She gave me a wink before leading the former red and black rangers out the door, leaving Jason and me in the dining room.

"You okay?"

"I think so." I lied, knowing I was probably having a full fledge panic attack. My heart was thundering in my chest and it was hard to catch my breath. He grabbed my shoulders and bent so we were face to face.

"If you need to leave, just give me a signal. I'll make a distraction, so you can slip away. Trini says I'm the master of making myself like a fool anyway." I tried to laugh but it barely came out. "Just remember to breathe."

"I'll do my best."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Let me start of by saying I am SO SORRY for such a delay in posting! Things have been super crazy in my life and sadly, this ended up on the back burner. But, hopefully this chapter and the next will make up for it. Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing and asking for more. It means so much to me right now. You all are the best!

Chapter Six

The smell of BBQ chicken and corn on the cob wafted throughout the air in Jason and Trini's backyard as we sat on the back deck. Jason proudly showed off the picnic table him and Tommy had built back there and the small bar in the back corner of the deck that over looked the in-ground pool. It wasn't the biggest pool, but it fit nicely for their yard. The water was crystal clear, and a pile of inner tubes was neatly stack off to the side. I noticed that there was one for each of our colors, including pink. It dawned on me though that it wasn't because of me. It was because of Kat, the other pink ranger who hadn't given up on everything for a stupid dream.

Zach, Jason, Rocky and Adam were standing by the grill, each holding a bottle of beer in hand. It felt weird to see them all like this. This was normal, something we hadn't had the last time we were all together. The last time I was with most of these people, we were still teenagers, fighting off aliens in between gym class and math. I suddenly felt so much older and more tired than I had in my whole life. I shook it off though, going back to pretending I was listening to Aisha tell a story about her time spent in Africa. We were sitting at the picnic table, a bottle of wine open between us. I held my glass in my hand, doing anything to stop them from shaking.

"So, what have you been up to down in Florida?" Aisha asked, smiling towards me. "The last time we spoke, you were still at the grocery store. What happened since then?" I shrugged, taking a sip of wine.

"The creepy manager tried to put his hands on me, so I quit. It was the push I needed to come back here I think."

"Girl, he's lucky you didn't kill him. I would have." She said, shaking her head.

"Oh, I almost did. I may have sprained his wrist though so that's something." Her and Trini giggled as Trini poured more wine in our glasses. The bottled emptied before she could fill Aisha's though.

"Shoot. I'll grab another one." She said, moving to stand. I waved my hand at her.

"I will. I have to use the bathroom any way." Standing, I walked inside the house and jogged up the steps to the bathroom. I used it quickly, washing my hands after I flushed the toilet. Glancing in the mirror, I double checked to see if my hair and makeup were still human looking. It would do, I guess. There was nothing I could really do with it now. All of my hair supplies were in storage. What I wouldn't do for my curling iron. Trini probably had one, but it was more than likely in her bathroom and I didn't want to trespass on their privacy. Waking out of the bathroom, I headed back down the stairs and over to the fridge. I found another bottle of wine on the door and grabbed it. The glass bottle of cold to the touch as I bumped the door shut with my hip.

I headed out the back door again and noticed that another person was standing on the deck now. Their long dark brown hair was pulled back in a pony tail in the middle of their head and they wore a red flannel shirt. Dark khakis covered the bottom half of his body and work boots incased his feet. Car keys hung from one hand and there was a beer in the other. I felt myself stop moving and my breath vanish as I realized Tommy Oliver was standing in front of me, not looking anymore different than the last time I had seen him. My grip on the bottle tightened and I wasn't sure if I was frozen in fear or if my body had just forgotten how to move.

"Hey, Kimmy!" Zach said, smiling at me. "Look who we found!" I wanted to strangle Zach as Tommy turned on one heel to see who his friend was talking to. His chocolate brown eyes met mine and the look of realization washed over his face as his brain registered just who was standing in front of him.

"Bea—Kimberly?" He asked, shaking his head in disbelief. What had he almost called me? I could have sworn the first syllable of the word 'beautiful' had formed on his lips before he said my name. The same word he would call me when we were younger.

"Hi, Tommy." I said, the butterflies in my stomach turning into elephants. To my surprise, he stepped forward and pulled me into a warm hug. My body still was unsure of what to do but it managed to return it. As he pulled away, he looked down at me with one of the most genuine smiles I had ever seen on his face.

"You are quite the sight for sore eyes. You look great. Are you back for good or just visiting?" He asked, his hand lingering on mine as he pulled away. I was highly confused by his enthusiastic reaction of my presence. Wasn't he angry with me? He should be! He should be cursing me out right now and telling me to get out of his sight. He was practically giddy!

"I'm back for good." I replied, returning the smile. "I'm staying here until I get my own place. How are you?"

"Good! I've been driving for my uncle now that I'm done with the Ranger stuff. It's quite exciting but nothing like the Zords. How are you doing?"

"Fine." I lied, suddenly not wanting to feel like a pathetic loser. I already id compared to everyone else. Trini was almost a college graduate, Jason owned his own business, Aisha was well on her way to being a successful travel agent, Adam was in a band who was doing really well for themselves, Rocky was working with Jason at the dojo and Zach already had some bit parts on TV and musicals in LA. And here I was, living of my friends after getting fired from a stupid job at a grocery store. Way to go, Kimberly Hart. You are batting a thousand. Even Bulk and Skull were farther in life than me. "How's Katherine?" I asked, hoping to get the topic off of me.

"She's great. She'll be back in town tomorrow actually. She had to fly to London to audition for a ballet performance and to meet her parents. She wanted to give them the good news in person." He replied. I raised an eyebrow.

"Good news?" I asked. Jason stepped forward, putting an arm on Tommy's shoulder.

"Hey. Can you help me with something in the garage quick?" Jason asked.

"Huh?" Tommy replied. "Can't Rocko help you? I'm was just telling Kimberly that—"

"I could REALLY use your help." Jason interrupted.

"Jason, what are you doing?" I asked. "Tommy is trying to tell me something." I shot Jason a glare who gave me a pleading look. I looked at him, confused.

"Kat and I are getting married at the end of the month." Tommy finally said, smiling at me. It suddenly felt like the ground under my feet vanished and I was free falling into darkness. The words seemed to repeat and vibrate in my head as I felt my heart feel like it was ripping in two. I realized now why Jason was trying to stop Tommy from talking to me. He was trying to stop him from telling me that he was getting married. To the woman who replaced me. I felt like I was going to vomit.

"That's wonderful." I said, forcing a smile. "Congrats! I didn't realize you guys were engaged."

"It kinda just happened last week. Kat found out that she was going to be moving to London for the next five years to travel with this ballet company. I decided to go with her to give the racing circuit overseas a try. We both decided that not would be the best time to get married since everyone is here for the summer. Even you! She'll be so excited to see you here." Oh, I bet.

"I'm happy for you." I said, finally setting the bottle of wine down on the picnic table. Trini tried to catch my eye, but I looked away. I knew if I looked at her, it would be the end of my composure.

"Thank you. I'm so glad you'll be here on our big day. It's going to have to be something small. I'm sure she'll tell you all the details when you see her because I'm clueless. We just know we want everyone there."

"It sounds perfect." I said. "She's a lucky girl."

"Thanks." He said, a sight blush covering his cheeks. He turned to Jason. "What do you need help with?"

"What?" Jason asked, looking like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"You said you needed help in the garage. With what?"

"Oh. The lawn mower! It's making a funny sound. I'll show you." He led Tommy off the deck and towards the garage, Rocky and Adam following behind. Zach stayed at the grill, checking the food. Trini appeared by my side and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Kim, I'm sorry. I know we should have told you, but I was afraid if we did, you wouldn't have come." She said, looking scared. I shook my head.

"And you were right about that." I muttered. I felt the tears threaten to fall but I held them back. Aisha walked over as well.

"What's going on?" She asked, looking concerned.

"It's nothing." I said, sniffing. She stared at me, obviously not falling for it.

"It's what Tommy said, isn't it? About him and Kat getting married."

"Why would that be an issue?" Zach asked, suddenly reminding us all that he was still on the deck with us. He stepped forwards, a look of confusion on his face that turned into a fleeting look of acknowledgement.

"It's not what you think." I said, pointing a finger towards him and Aisha.

"Oh? So, you aren't still in love with him them?" Aisha asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Guys, come on. We talk about this another time." Trini said, coming to my defense.

"Is that true, Kimmy?" Zach asked. "Do you still have feelings for him?"

"I don't know, okay?!" I exclaimed, a tear falling down my cheek. "I thought if I came back here, there might still be a chance but now…" I trailed off.

"You gotta tell him." Zach replied, his face softening.

"Are you crazy?" I asked, Trini handing me a napkin for my tears. I dabbed my eyes, shaking my head. "He's getting married. In two weeks! Jesus. Two fucking weeks." It sounded worse when I said it out loud. "I can't just show up here, announce something like that after everything that happened between us and expect him to toss Kat. It's not fair to her and it's not fair to him."

"But, Kimmy-." Zach said but I cut hm off.

"No, Zach. I can't tell him, and neither can you. Any of you. I mean it. This stays between us. Tommy can never know how I feel." He opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it.

"Alright." I knew Zach didn't like it and he probably thought I was being unfair. I felt terrible that he was pulled into this now and I felt terrible for feeling this way. I was putting people into the middle of this thing which shouldn't even be a thing.

"I never should have come back." I whispered, tears slipping down my cheeks. "I should have just stayed in Florida."

"No way." Aisha said, shaking her head. "This is where you need to be. Besides, what would have happened if you had been there alone when you heard the news? At least here, you'll have us all here to support you." She gave me a supported smile that I returned.

"Aisha's right. We'll help you through this, Kimmy." Zach said, putting a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"You guys are seriously the best. I don't know what I would do without you." Reaching out, I pulled the three of them into a group hug. Each rubbed my back as I did. The voices of the guys came towards us as we pulled away. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand as Tommy and Jason jogged up the steps of the deck. They were laughing about something, but both turned serious when they looked at me.

"Kim, are you okay? You're crying." Tommy asked, stepping towards me.

"Yeah! I'm fine. Just something is my eye." I lied, giving him a fake cherry smile.

"You sure?" Jason asked, stopping next to Trini. I nodded, seeing Trini shoot him a quick glance. He nodded, turning to face the grill. "I think it's time to eat!"


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Here's another one to make up for my slack. 😊 As always, thanks for reading and feel free to leave a review!

Chapter Seven

Dinner was surprisingly fun. It felt exactly like old times, all of my friends sitting together and talking just like when we were kids. It reminded me of the times we spent in the Youth Center, talking about school and normal things while waiting for the next attack from Rita and Zedd. Everything was amazingly a whole lot simpler then somehow, even with the alien attacks on a daily basis. Then, I at least knew where I was going with my life. I listened as everyone gave me a recap of their lives in the last couple of years.

Rocky and Aisha were in the process of buying a house and him and Jason were in talks of bringing back the Youth Center. The owner, Ernie, passed away last year and since then, it's sat closed and unused. Jason hopes to bring it back to what it used to be and to allow Angel Grove kids a safe place to hang out like what we had as kids. Zach told me about his most recent audition. It was for one of the leading roles in the Broadway play, Cats. He said that he knew it was an awful big role for him to try out for, but he felt like he stood a chance. He was waiting for a call back any day now. Adam was also waiting on his own news. His band recently sent out demo tapes to some big labels in LA and at least three of them were considering them for a record deal. Adam's a quiet guy but I could tell he was sincerely nervous about this. It would be a huge thing for not only him but also his band. During our time apart, the three of them had earned degrees in majors that would lead them into successful futures; Aisha in Business, Rocky in Small Business and Adam in Broadcasting.

As dinner began to wind down, the topic of discussion turned to Tommy. This was something I was excited and scared to hear at the same time. I always wondered what he had been up to after we broke up and I already knew his love life was going far better than mine right now. He explained that after the mission with Divatox and our kidnapping, he had decided then that maybe it was finally time to hang up the spandex. He stayed on with the Turbo rangers for a short time before leaving. By then, he was already heavily into racing with his uncle. It was something he discovered he fairly enjoyed and had more than enough experience in thanks to all those years driving the Zords. He competed in a large circuit this past year and placed modestly well for his first year. They were getting ready to gear up for the next round when the opportunity to travel to Europe for the circuit there came up. He knew he couldn't say no, and his uncle agreed it was a chance of a lifetime. It seemed like perfect timing as the news of Kat's acceptance into the ballet company came that same week.

"Whatever happened to opening your own dojo?" I asked, taking a sip of my wine. I was on my third glass and knew I had to slow down. This was the most I had drank in a long time and felt myself reaching that limit. I would not allow myself to become the drunk fool at this BBQ.

"I guess it just isn't in the cards for me." He replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I had planned on going to AGU after this circuit was finished but I'll be overseas at that point. I might take some online classes while I'm travelling to try to get ahead on some type of degree. Maybe by that point, I'll find a way to settle down with something else to do that doesn't involve speeds of 120 or more." He wiped his mouth with a napkin before taking a long pull off his beer. "What about you? Are you still hoping to open your own gymnastics school?"

"It was the dream at some point." I replied, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. "Maybe someday but for now, I just need to focus on trying to get myself back on my feet. I don't want to be a nuisance for too long."

"Too late for that." Jason joked, winking at me. Trini slapped him on the arm as she stood up. She stacked some plates on top of each other, clearing the picnic table.

"Ha ha." I said, sticking my tongue out at him. I stood also, grabbing my plate as well as Adam and Tommy's.

"Here. Let me help." Tommy said, moving to stand. I waved him to sit back down.

"Don't worry about it." I smiled. I grabbed some more dishes and followed Trini into the backdoor. Aisha trailed behind me, holding an armful of empty beer bottles.

"Where do you want these, Tri?" She asked as Trini set down the plates she was carrying on the kitchen counter.

"There's a bin in the garage. Don't worry about it yet though. I'm sure there will be plenty more to follow those." She smirked, shaking her head. Aisha set the bottles on the table before disappearing outside again. I placed my stack next to Trini's before grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. "How you holdin' up?"

"I think I'm going to be okay. I mean, it's Tommy. We were friends before we became anything else. I think there's a chance we can go back to that." I replied, giving her a smile.

"You really think so?" She asked. I nodded. "I'm glad you're thinking like that. I was really worried about you for a minute there."

"I was too. I think once I get settled in, I'll talk to him about what happened. Just getting it off my chest might make me feel better, you know?" I bit my lip, wondering if I actually felt that way or if the wine was giving me a false sense of security about my own situation. Whatever it was, I was going to embrace it for the time being. I couldn't let myself show Tommy how I really felt about the whole situation. I had no right to be upset about him getting married. I let him go a long time ago and I had no one else to blame but myself for it.

"I'm here if you ever need to talk, okay?" Trini said. "I'm going to finish up cleaning the table off, so we can get a game or something going."

"I'm going to get something for my headache. I'll be right down." She nodded before heading out the door. I walked up the stairs to my room where I shuffled through my bag for my toiletry pouch. Inside of that, I found my supply of aspirin. I took one, not wanting to take a whole dose since I have been drinking and then chugged the rest of the water in the bottle. Letting out a sigh, I sat on the edge of my bed. It had been quite the day. It was hard to believe I was really back here in California. I still had to call my mother and let her know I had made it here safely. With everything going on, it had slipped my mind. I made a mental note to call her in the morning and then to let my brother in Seattle know as well. He didn't know I was heading back to the West Coast and I was hoping Adam could make the trip down here once he knew I was here. I hadn't seen him since the Pan Globals, his work keeping him busy.

After I broke my ankle, I did my best to try and strengthen myself up for the next year. Unfortunately, my ankle had been broken to the point of needing surgery after that. They needed to put two metal rods and four screw into the joint, leaving my unable to perform the gymnastic techniques I had done every day. My career was over. So, I was forced to leave the dorms and move in with my Aunt Gwen in Orlando. My mother desperately wanted me to come to Paris to stay with her and Pierre, but it just wasn't something I could see myself doing. I was still upset about not only the Olympics, my career being over and Matthew but also with the fact all of my friends were graduating from high school where I should have been. They were walking the stage together while I was finishing up my internet schooling with my aunt helping me study.

Once I received my diploma, I was sort of stuck on what I wanted to do with my life. I thought about going to college in Florida. My aunt was on the board of a local community college and offered to help me get accepted. There just wasn't anything there that gripped my interests though when I had read through their majors. So, school was out. Gwen found out she was sick then with stage 3 breast cancer. This forced her to quit working and I had to pick up any job I could to help with her bills. I started working at night as a cashier at a local gas station. It helped me pay the bills and allowed me to be home during the day to help her. At the time, she was getting daily chemo treatments for two weeks at a time and then would spend a week home in bed. During those periods she was bedridden and unable to take care of herself. I was the only person she had to help her, and I knew it was my responsibility to do it.

Life wasn't perfect, but it was working out for us. That is until the gas station was robbed one night when I was on shift and I was held at gun point by two big guys in black ski masks. Amazingly enough, I wasn't scared when it was initially happening. I still think it had something to do with my time as a Power Ranger and learning to face deadly situations every day. The guys ended up with about $50 from my register and a roll of lotto tickets. I thought I was fine after the cops arrived but the days that followed, I found myself having regular nightmares about it. Each time, there would be two masked men trying to gun me down with no one there to save me. My boss had granted me a week off after the robbery, but I found myself unable to go back there. I had to quit, leaving me unemployed.

Luckily, I was able to find another job as a residential assistant at a local nursing home. It was back breaking work and left me exhausted every day, but it was the only other job I could find that allowed me to work at night during the week. Sadly, Aunt Gwen's condition didn't approve, and they broke the news her cancer had spread. She transitioned to stage 4 and the doctors asked us to start planning for the inevitable. Hospice was brought in, something that wasn't covered in full by her insurance and they helped make her comfortable. All of my pay checks went to this, leaving very little money for our other bills. It was by sheer luck that she owned her own house which was paid off, but the other bills still managed to stack up. Soon, I found myself drowning in past due notices and shut off threats.

That's when I was asked by a co-worker if I knew of any bands or singers that were looking for a small paying gig at a club in town. The band they had scheduled ended up flaking out and they just needed someone to open for the bigger act. I told her I didn't know anyone but then she mentioned that it paid $100. I agreed to do it, desperate for the money. I had to switch a shift in order to do it and ended up going on stage with zero sleep, but it went well. I ended up booking a few more performances there and it helped a lot with the bills. It also helped me relax after a long week for what my life had become. It felt amazing to sing and play my guitar in front of people and I actually thought about going for a music career at one point.

My aunt Gwen died a few weeks before Thanksgiving. She grew really frail towards the end and it made me feel better to finally slip into peace after such a long battle. Her life insurance covered her funeral which ended up being a small affair. After she passed, I was informed by the bank that Gwen was severely behind in her taxes on the house and that it would become property of the bank due to her death. I was given 90 days to move out of my home. That's when I found my small apartment but unfortunately, it was too far for my job. I applied and landed at the grocery store. Because I left the nursing home and the Orlando area, I also ended up losing my singing gig as well. That's where it seemed my life took a nose dive.

Standing up, I headed back downstairs. In the dining room, I saw the number of bottles had grown like Trini had predicted. I scooped them up in my arm and headed out the side door. I figured it would be nice of me to take care of them now instead of later when there would be too many to carry in one trip. Walking up the drive way, I gazed around the corner of the garage and saw the bin she had been talking about. It was a black garbage bin with a sticker on the side of it of the recyclable symbol. Getting closer, I pulled the lid off and dropped the empty bottles into the receptacle. I put the lid back on before turning back towards the driveway. That's when I heard the footsteps on the gravel in front of the garage.

"Hey, man. Can I talk to you a second?" Tommy's voice said from around the corner. I froze in my spot.

"Sure. What's up?" Jason's voice followed.

"I think it's great you guys are helping Kim out. How is she really doing though?"

"What do you mean?" I heard Tommy sigh and could picture him running his hand through his hair.

"She just looks so worn down. How come you didn't tell me she was coming back?"

"She asked us to keep it a secret until she was ready to tell everyone she was back. The BBQ just happened to be the same day she got back. And I don't know, Tommy. She's been through some shit down in Florida since you last saw her."

"Like what?" What was Tommy doing? Was he trying to find out information about me from Jason because he was worried about me? OR was there some other reason behind this line of questions?

"Like her taking care of her dying aunt. She had cancer and Kim was the only one who stepped up to take care of her. After she died, Kim kinda had some problem finding her place down there. If you want to know more, you can ask Trini. Or here's a wild thought: talk to Kimberly."

"Is she okay now though? I know she was crying earlier, and I just thought…" He trailed off.

"Thought what?" Jason asked.

"It's nothing. I was just worried about her. That's all. Was her time down in Florida really all shitty? I never got the chance to talk to her the last time I saw her."

"Definitely wasn't a cake walk. You should really just talk to her. I think it's something the both of you need to do. Especially with everything that's going to be going on in the next few weeks. And when Kat sees her tomorrow." Tommy groaned.

"Shit. I have to get home and get the place cleaned up before her plane gets in. I'll try talking to Kimberly tomorrow when I bring Kat over too see everyone. Thanks, Jase. Tell everyone I'll see them tomorrow."

"Sure thing, Tommy."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Sleep came to me that night after laying there for what felt like hours, thinking. I couldn't help but wonder what Tommy was talking about when he spoke to Jason. I didn't tell Jason I had been listening later on after Tommy had left out of fear of him thinking I was spying on him. But with Tommy asking all those questions about me and then him saying that he thought something but wouldn't say what, it made me feel something in my chest. Hope? It was the best word I had for it, I guess. Hope that maybe, he thought I was upset about him getting married. That maybe, he was worried about me so much because he still cared about me in some way. I knew it was silly to think this way, but I couldn't help myself. Though I hadn't seen his face, I could picture his soft brown eyes filled with concern when he spoke to Jason. Maybe he would talk to me like Jason had suggested. Then, I could confess my feeling and be out in the open about everything.

When I woke up the next morning, I laid there for a while. I heard movement, telling me that either Trini or Jason were awake. I tried to remember if they had to work today or not. I couldn't really recall if we had spoken about it. Rolling out of bed, I made my way to the bathroom for a quick shower. Once I was out, I headed downstairs where I found Jason sitting at the kitchen table reading the paper. He smiled up at me when I entered the room, taking a sip of a protein shake. "Morning." He said, his voice chippered.

"Hey." I replied, grabbing a cup of coffee from the pot on the counter. I pulled out the chair next to him and sat down. "Got the day off?"

"Nah. I had one too many beers last night, so I was a bit slow in rising this morning. I'm getting ready to head to the dojo now. Any plans for today?" I shrugged.

"Not really. Not like I have a job or something important to run off to." I sighed, take a sip of my coffee. It was warm but edging towards the chilly side. "Where's Trini?"

"She had some lab work to do today for her internship. She'll be gone all day more than likely. IF you want, you can come down to the dojo with me. Rocky will be there."

"If you don't mind." I replied. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"I wouldn't have offered if I did, Kimmy." He said. Standing, he tossed the paper on the table and carried his empty glass into the kitchen. "Maybe you can help me organize my office there some. Trini says it's a mess but honestly, I think it just needs to be a little tidied up."

"Sure."

Jason finished getting ready and together, we drove to his dojo. It was about four blocks away, almost in the heart of Angel Grove. We passed the high school and the park on the way as well as the Youth Center. He smirked at me as we passed it. "I'll have to show you it one of these days." He spoke, readjusting his hands on the wheel. "We still have a lot to do there but I'm hoping it'll come along quickly."

"I still think it's amazing that you are fixing it up. It would be such a shame to just let it go to waste. You're doing a great thing, Jase."

"It was Trini's idea, really. I told her about it and that they were thinking of tearing it down. She's the one who told me I should put an offer in. I didn't think they would take it, but I guess Ernie's family just wanted it out of their hands. It was in pretty rough shape and I thought for sure I bit off more than I could chew with this one. Rocky's been a huge help though and Adam and Tommy help out as much as they can. It's a group effort. I'm just glad we're close to being done. Well, closer than we were before."

"I can't wait to see it. Maybe we can stop by before we head home?" I offered.

"I have classes up til five and Tommy said him and Kat would be over around 5:30." He replied. I groaned, sitting back in the passenger seat. "Do you not want to see her? I'm sure Trini and I could cover for you."

"No. Kat's done nothing to me. It just means having to face it for real suppose." It was true. Even though every part of me wanted to hate Kat and not like her, she hadn't done a thing to me. It wasn't my fault that I broke up with Tommy and she liked him. She probably liked him for all the reasons I fell in love with him. I couldn't blame her for that even though I wished I could.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I think you are doing a wonderful job of keeping it together." He said, pulling to a stop on Warner Street. Jason parked the truck in front of a three-story brick building, Rocky's SUV parked a few feet away. On the front of the building, there was a large glass window. RED STAR DOJO and SCHOOL OF MARTIAL ARTS was printed on the glass along with the telephone number. Inside, I could see a group of kids bowing towards Rocky who stood at the front of the room.

"Wow!" I exclaimed, undoing my seat belt. "This looks great! You guys did an awesome job with the dojo." I opened my door as Jason climbed out of his side, duffle bag in hand. He walked around the side of the truck to stand next to me.

"Thanks. We just had the window replaced not long ago. Some kids smashed it. It's the main reason we are trying to bring the youth center back. It'll be a way to keep them out of trouble." He nodded towards the door and I followed him as he headed inside.

"One! Two!" Rocky called out, the group of twenty kids moving their arms in chopping motions as he spoke. They moved in unison, looking like a little army of soldiers. Their white gis looking bright against the black matts on the floor. The walls were painted a bright red color, posters of different types of martial arts and inspirational quotes hung on them. Along the back wall, there was a stair case with a black cast iron railing. It seemed to lead up to some offices. Below that, there were doors for locker rooms and an area with a ring was set up. It was everything Jason had always bragged about wanting in a dojo and he sure enough had it.

"Come on. I'll show you around." Jason said over his shoulder as Rocky smiled at us. Several of the students called out greeting sot Jason as well as we passed. He led me towards the square circle in the back of the building, gloves hanging from a rack on the adjacent wall. "This is our latest addition. After we placed at the tournament, Tommy and I hoped to make this happen if either one of us opened a dojo like we dreamed. When I opened this place, the idea kinda didn't fit because we were using both spaces for classes. Then the youth center fell into our hands and we figured out a way to have classes here and there. So, this was able to happen after all."

"So, it's kickboxing?" I asked, reaching up to touch the bottom rope of the ring. It was black and felt like stretchy plastic.

"Well, it can be. You can practice any type of hand to hand combat in here. We have a couple of older kids who are studying Mixed Martial Arts. It's like boxing but a lot more aggressive. It's becoming very popular, especially in Vegas. It's not my cup of tea but Rocky thinks it's the best thing he's ever seen." He rolled his eyes as he headed towards the stairs. He set his bag down next to the locker room doors before jogging up the stairs. I followed behind him, glancing down at the kids who were finishing up their routines. It made me smile to see that half of the class was made up of girls. It wasn't something that was common when I first became a Power Ranger. Girls didn't do karate. But then when word spread there were two girl rangers, it seemed the number of girls joining Jason and Tommy's classes grew. It felt great to know I was part of that kind of progression in my own hometown.

"The kids are good." I said as Jason stopped at the first door at the top of the stairs. He grinned, a sense of pride on his face as he nodded.

"Yeah. They are. Most of them have been coming here since we opened. They are a good group." He unlocked the door and opened it. Flicking on the light, my eyes were greeted with two desks shoved in a modest size room. The walls were painted yellow and the floor was covered in a dark grey carpet. I wasn't sure what the desks were made of as each was covered in heaping piles of papers. I felt my mouth gape slightly as I took it in.

"Jason! This isn't just being untidy!" I exclaimed, stepping into the room. The piles of paper were higher than the books that were also there. I couldn't even tell whose desk was whose. Anxiety filled my chest to just look at them. I turned to look at him as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. He closed the door behind him, stepping into the room.

"Okay. So, it's a little messy. I just don't think it's that bad."

"Messy?" I asked, glancing around. "This is almost hoarding."

"Now you sound like Trini." He grumbled, looking at his watch. "I have to get changed for my class. You okay hanging out here for a bit?"

"Yeah. I'll be here. That is if a pile of papers doesn't kill me first." He rolled his eyes at me before walking out of the office.

Turning, I grabbed a small stack of the papers and saw they were billing invoices that parents had paid already. I made quick work of making piles on the floor by last name. I found more invoices like this on the other desk, adding them to the sorted piles. Once these were done, I paper clipped them together and placed them in a neat stack in one corner. The next task, I got to work at the unpaid invoices that were crammed on one corner of each desk. With these, I sorted them by last name and due date before putting them into piles. While doing this, I found receipts of things that Jason and Rocky had paid for to use at the dojo. I stapled them together and set them off to the side. With the unpaid invoices done, I moved onto the remaining papers. Here, I found various things like bills that needed to be paid, supplies that needed to be bought and some parking tickets Rocky had gotten that were overdue. I sorted everything into organized pies by urgency (making sure Rocky's tickets were on top) and started putting everything into the filing cabinets on the left side of the office.

"Hey, Kim." Rocky said about an hour later as him and Jason came into the office. Both were dressed in their gis, Rocky's dark blue one looking weird on him. I still found it odd that he wasn't the red ranger on his last round with the Power Rangers. He will always be red to be. The same with Jason. He wore a red gi, making it look more natural on him. Rocky looked surprised when he saw the now clean office, Jason also looking impressed when he walked in.

"Holy shit. That's what my desk looks like." Jason said, sitting in the black leather chair behind the first desk. I looked up from the floor where I was shoving unpaid invoices into envelopes and shook my head.

"If you actually filed papers, you would know." I replied. "There's some bills that still need to be paid on your desk. I'm working on the unpaid invoices that you need to give out to your clients and I found two parking tickets that belong to you, Rocky." I held up the tickets towards him. He gasped, grabbing them.

"I was looking for these! I'll probably owe Angel Grove an arm and a leg now. You're a life saver, Kim!" He turned to Jason. "We should hire her to do this all the time."

"Yeah?" Jason asked, resting his hands on the top of his head. He nodded. "I was actually thinking the same thing. What do you think, Kimmy? We could use a secretary around here. Especially one that can keep things straight. God knows how many parents haven't paid us because we forget when they are due."

"Really?" I asked. Both nodded. "I mean, it'll make me feel better about mooching off Trini and you. I wouldn't mind working for free." Jason scoffed.

"You're ridiculous. We're going to pay you. Just think of it as a way to save up for your own place." I went to protest but he held his hand up. "I will find a way to sneak money into your things if you say no. Just save yourself the trouble and agree."

"Fine. But only because you can use the help."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Hey everyone! THANK YOU! I received so many reviews and messages since the last update. They really do make a difference for how quickly I update. It's not that I don't want to update sooner but it makes me want to work on it when I see people excited to read it. You guys are the best and I hope you are enjoying it so far!

Chapter Nine

After finishing up the office, Rocky headed down to city hall to pay off his parking tickets. Jason taught two classes in the meantime, their calls drifting up to the office. It made me think of our times at the Youth Center when I would watch him, or Tommy teach classes. Or when I would be doing practice on the balance beam and they would be training with each other on various types of martial arts. It brought a smile to my face as I worked, finishing up the last bit of filing that had to be done. I even answered phone calls, booking people for classes and answering questions they had about them. I could almost imagine myself wearing a headset like one of those call center people. It felt nice to be doing something useful for a change, contributing somehow.

At around five, Jason came up to the office to tell me he was ready to go. He was drenched in sweat and I knew he probably wanted a shower before people came over to his house. I helped him lock up, Rocky already gone for the day. Him and Aisha would not be joining us tonight as they were going out to celebrate their anniversary. Adam also had plans, him and his band playing a gig in LA. This meant it would just be Jason and Trini, Tommy and Kat, and then me, the fifth wheel. It made me want to hurl at the idea. But I mentally got a grip on myself as we drove home, Jason telling me more about the Youth Center and how much was left to do there. He said all that was left to do was paint and finish the bar. It was still in pieces from when they had disassembled it to redo the floors. It was all coming together, and he was excited to see it finished. I tried my best to be excited for him, but it was hard to do so when I knew what was coming.

Trini's car was in the driveway when we pulled in. She was cooking something that smelled amazing as we came in the back door. Jason gave her a quick peck on the lips before disappearing upstairs to shower and change. She smiled at me as I sat at the kitchen table. She was dressed in a pair of tan dress pants and a light blue blouse, making her look very professional. Her hair was pinned up in an elegant bun. She would put any business woman to shame without even trying. "Hey." She said, stirring something in a pot on the stove top. "How was your day?"

"It was fine. I spent it sorting out the office at the dojo." I replied.

"Oh, you poor thing. Isn't it terrible? I have no idea how they let it get that awful. It's a wonder they know where anything is."

"I see what you mean. I got it all sorted out though. And I guess I'm the new secretary." She grinned at me, nodding.

"Jason did mention he was going to see if you wanted to do that. That's great! I don't know who I should be happier for. I'll throw in a sign on bonus if you straighten up that monstrosity he calls a home office as well."

"I think I'll pass on that one. What smells so good?" I asked, trying to look around her.

"Ginger spice chicken and greens." She replied, stirring the pot again. "It's something my grandmother used to make when I was younger. I thought it would be good for the occasion. I also bought more wine."

"This is why you are my best friend." I stood from my chair and gave her a hug. She patted my back, giggling as she did.

"I figured you might need it. You going to be okay with all of this? It's not too late to say you had other plans or something came up."

"I'll be fine." I said, walking back into the dining room. "I'll have to get used to it anyways. It's not like Katherine did anything to hurt me. She's still my friend and this is a big deal for her. I am going to do my best to be excited for her and Tommy."

"Just don't put too much pressure on yourself. I don't want to see you crack because you're trying too hard to be something you're not." Trini said, giving me a sad smile. I shrugged.

"I only have to make it two weeks. Then, I can start getting my life back on track once it's all said and done." Sighing, I crossed my arms over my chest and gazed at the floor. I hated to say it but once Kat and Tommy were out of Angel Grove, I would be able to work on getting over him and finding my place here again. I didn't think I would be able to even think about doing that until Tommy was on the other side of the globe. The thought of him leaving hurt but I knew it had to happen. I had no control over it or what was going to happen. I just had to hold on and pray for the best.

"You're gonna be fine." Trini said, breaking me from my thoughts. Just then, the doorbell rang. I felt my chest tighten as I locked eyes with Trini. "I'll get it." She said, moving to turn the stove off. I shook my head.

"You're busy. I can get it." I smiled at her, adjusting my hair. She gave me a hesitant glance before I headed out of the room and towards the living room. I could see the outline of two people on the other side of the door through the closed blinds. I knew from the height and build it was Kat. Of course, she was still tall and skinny like she was when we were kids. Taking a deep breath, I gripped the door knob and twisted it. Pulling the door open, I was met with a small shriek before being engulfed in a blonde hug.

"Kimberly! I can't believe it's really you!" Kat's Australian accent said as she held on to me tightly. I returned the gesture, wrapping my arms around her back the best I could. She pulled backwards, holding me at arm's length so she could look down at me. The slender blonde smiled at me, her blue eyes sparkling with joy. Her hair was pulled back in a high pony tail and she work a pink skirt with a white tank top. How could she make pink look better than me? I was the one who perfected the color when I was a teenager! I bit back the nasty thought in my mind as she let go of me. "You look gorgeous! I am so happy that you are back here in Angel Grove. I thought for sure Tommy was joking when he told me."

"Nope. It's really me." I said, forcing a smile. "You look good too. Congrats on your engagement. I'm happy for you." I lied, doing my best to not make it so obvious. She grinned, looking over her shoulder at Tommy. He stood behind her, trying to give us the space we needed to greet one another. His hair was down today, brushed over his shoulders in a way that reminded me of how he wore it when he was the white ranger. It curled slightly at the ends, meaning he hadn't used a flat iron on it like he used to. Our eyes met for a moment and he gave me a cheerful smile. I returned it, feeling it genuinely on my lips. _He's getting married to the blonde bomb shell in front of you_ , I thought to myself to bring myself to earth. Kat reached out and grabbed my hand, guiding me to the couch to sit.

"So, what made you decide to move back?" She asked, sitting next to me. Tommy continued to hover in the door way, watch us.

"I just needed a change, I suppose." I said, not wanting to get into the whole ordeal with me getting fired. "I figured it was a good time to come home."

"I am so glad you did! I know Tommy would have been crushed if you couldn't make it for the wedding. We were just talking about how we would get you here for it. But now, you are here!" She patted my knee with her left hand and I noticed there was no ring there. Her eyes met my gaze and she smiled. "We didn't have time to get me an engagement ring." She explained. "Everything happened so fast that we decided to just get it with our rings for the ceremony."

"Right. So, tell me about everything. Do you have a venue?" I asked, not really wanting to know the details. It was the only thing I could think of to make small talk.

"Not exactly. It's actually one of the reasons I am so glad you are here." She replied. Trini came in the living room then, carrying three wine glasses and a bottle of beer. She handed the bottle to Tommy as Kat stood to give her a hug. "Hi, Trini!"

"Hey. Wine?" She asked, holding up a glass. Kat took one and Trini handed me the other. She poured wine from the bottle tucked into her arm into the glasses before setting the bottle on the mantle behind her. "What are we talking about?"

"Wedding stuff!" Kat said cheerfully, sitting next to me again. "I was actually just going to ask Kimberly something." She turned to face me. "With everything going on with me joining the ballet company, I have to head back to London the day after tomorrow. I'll be gone for almost a week."

"You have to plan your wedding without even being here?" I asked, thinking that it sounded like an awful ordeal. I had never planned a wedding, but I knew it took a lot to get done. Especially in such short notice and while being in another country. She nodded.

"It's hard with just Tommy being here. And I know Aisha and Trini are so busy with school and everything. It's not that I don't trust the guys to help Tommy, but they aren't exactly the kind of help he needs. I was wondering if you would be able to help him out while I'm gone." She asked, smiling at me with hope in her eyes. Trini was taking a sip of her wine as she asked, causing her to snort into her glass. She quickly recovered, wiping her nose with her hand.

"You want me to help Tommy plan your wedding?" I asked, the grip on my glass a little tighter. She nodded.

"He doesn't know what to do when it comes down to a venue or napkins or tuxes. He's going to need all the help he can get. And you're the only person I could think of that would know how to put just the right amount of pink on everything." She grabbed my hand again. "What do you say? I would owe you my life if you did this for me." Behind her, I saw Tommy glance over towards Trini who shot him a look.

"Sure!" I said, downing the wine in my glass. "It would be my pleasure to help." I smiled as she let out an excited shriek and hugged me again.

"Thank you so much! You have no clue what this means to me." She said, sitting back down. "I'll fill you in on everything we want included and what we don't want. This is going to take so much pressure off of our shoulders." She smiled at me brightly while Trini shook her head behind Kat.

"What did I miss?" Jason asked as he jogged down the stairs. He was freshly showered and changed into jeans and a black t-shirt, his hair slightly gelled on the top of his head. Stopping next to Trini, he wrapped an arm around her waist and smiled at us.

"Kim just agreed to plan Kat and Tommy's wedding." Trini said, looking up at him. He tilted his head to the side for a second, looking confused. He quickly regained his composure and smiled.

"Well, look at you! You're just helping everyone today, Kim." He said, looking over at me.

"It's just what I do, I guess." I replied, shrugging my shoulder. Standing, I walked over to the wine and poured myself some more.

"This is great! I'm going to run out to the car and get my planning notebook. It has all my ideas in it. I'll be right back." Kat stood from the couch and scooched by Tommy, so she could go out the door. Trini rolled her eyes in my direction before heading towards the kitchen. Jason followed after her, still trying to figure out what was going on. This left Tommy and I alone in the living room.

"You don't have to do this, Kim." Tommy said softly, stepping towards me. I took a long sip from my glass of wine before turning to look up at him. "I mean, it's a big help but I wouldn't want to put you in a position that is weird or anything." I waved my hand at him.

"It's fine, Tommy. Honestly. Besides, it gives me something to do while I'm in between jobs. I mean, I'm working for Jase down at the dojo now but it's not like that'll take all my time. And what girl doesn't dream of planning a wedding?"

"Are you sure?" He asked, looking at me with a concerned expression. I nodded, fearful that he could see right through my façade.

"Yes! It'll be fun." The door opened again, and Kat came in, a five subject notebook and a binder in hand.

"Okay! So, this is everything." She handed it to me, her handwritten covering the front of it. "The first part is the guest list. The second section is everything I want there. The third is everything we don't want there. Fourth is the food list and the fifth is ideas for flowers and the tuxes." She explained, flipping through the pages to show me. "I already have my dress. The bridesmaids are getting their own. We want to show everyone's colors from when we served so the guys need to have vests that match that too." I nodded, showing her I was listening. "As for venues, we have an appointment tomorrow to look at the country club here in town. I can't go because I'll be getting ready for my flight. But Tommy can come pick you up and you guys can go see it together. If that doesn't work, I'm not really sure where we could have it. Everywhere else in town is booked. So, do your best to sell us as country club material."

"I'll do my best." I replied, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I didn't realize I would be going to these things with Tommy. I thought she would want me to do them on my own. Selfishly, I was excited at the idea of spending so much time with Tommy.

"This is going to be amazing! I couldn't think of anyone else I would want to do this. I know I'm leaving this in good hands." She said, smiling brightly at me.

"I sure hope so."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

We all sat at the dining room table and ate the delicious food Trini had made. The ginger chicken was cooked with the perfect blend of spices that paired well with the scallions and kale she made to go with it. If she wasn't such a skilled scientist, I would have told her to try her hand at being a professional chef. Her skills were more aimed in the area of chemistry than they were in cooking though, something she would tell us all the time when we were younger. Everyone enjoyed the food though, especially the strawberry swirl cake she had made for dessert. It felt like we had eaten at a fancy eatery rather than Trini and Jason's house. It made me think of the Asian restaurants in Miami my aunt and I used to go to before she was sick.

After eating, we found ourselves sitting on the back patio. The sun was setting over the backyard, casting tall shadow over everything around us. Kat, Trini and I sat at the table, talking over flower options and where we could go for tuxes. Jason and Tommy had escaped the wedding talking, hiding by the garage. Now and then, I caught Tommy's eye when he glanced in our direction. I couldn't tell if it was from him or the wine, but it made me grin like an idiot each time he did it. He would smile back before turning to look at Jason who in turned rolled his eyes once or twice. Turning my attention back to Kat, I listened as she drabbled on about wedding plans.

Was I out of my wind for agreeing to this? Maybe. Was I doing this out of good intentions? Sadly, no. At first, I was going to tell her she was out of her damn mind for asking me. Like, for real. I am his ex-girlfriend. Why on earth would I want to help plan this wedding? But then, she mentioned that Tommy would be needing the help. Selfish me thought for a moment that it would be the perfect chance to spend more time with him. I didn't think that it would lead him into breaking up with her or realizing he still loved me. I wasn't the cold hearted even if I tried to be. Just the thought of making up for some of that lost time that I gave up made my decision for me. Granted, it would be to help him plan his wedding, but it was still time with Tommy just the same. And I do love weddings. Maybe if I pretended hard enough that it wasn't theirs, it wouldn't be that hard.

"Shoot. It's getting kinda late. I still have so much to do before heading back to London." Kat said, looking at her watch. She stood, sliding the notebook and binder towards me. "I'll leave these here, so you can have them tomorrow for the country club. I'll make sure Tommy swings by to get you about noon. Try to make sure he looks presentable. You and I both know how Tommy can be." She grinned at me, turning towards the boys. "Tommy! Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. Give me one sec." He called back. She rolled her eyes, facing Trini and I again.

"Kim, thank you again so much for agreeing to help us. I was so worried that our wedding would be something rushed and tacky. I know you'll do your best though." I smiled at her, picking up the notebook and binder.

"No problem." I replied. Trini and I stood as the boys headed towards the patio. Kat gave me a quick hug, giving Trini one as well. She waved at Jason before heading inside the house. Tommy waved at us before following after his fiancé. The backdoor closed, Trini and Jason both looking at me like I had committed a felony when it did.

"Are you out of your damn mind?" Jason asked, resting his arm on the railing next to him. "You're going to plan their wedding?"

"I guess." I replied, shrugging my shoulders. I hugged the notebook and the binder to my chest, sighing.

"Girl, I told you not to be something you're not. Instead of laying low, you just cannon balled right into the middle of this whole thing." Trini said, scooping up the wine glasses on the table.

"I know. I didn't know what else to say. If I said no, it would have crushed Kat and made her think I still had feelings for Tommy."

"Cause you do." Jason cut in, raising an eyebrow at me. I glared in his direction.

"You are going to make yourself miserable doing this, Kim." Trini said, taking a step towards me. "Are you sure you can handle this?" I nodded, trying to give her and Jase the impression I was going to be fine. Maybe if I tried hard enough, I would believe it too.

"Guys, relax. I've got this all under control. I will give them the best wedding I can and then, once they are gone, I can work on getting my shit together. I mean, it's just a wedding. How hard can it be?" I asked, heading inside. They didn't follow, the backdoor swinging shut behind me. I rolled my eyes, knowing they were going to talk more about me and the situation. I got that they were worried about me, but this was something I knew I could do. It was something I wanted to do in a weird way.

I walked towards the living room and heard voices. Confused, I peeked around the doorway and saw Kat and Tommy standing in the foyer. There was a frown on Tommy's face as Kat spoke.

"I don't understand why you don't think this is a good idea. She's excited to do this!"

"Because it's my ex-girlfriend, Kat. It's not like she is just a friend." Tommy said, running a hand through his hair.

"Tommy, you are the only one who is still hung up on that. You guys are fine. It's all water under the bridge. You're friends now and she wants to help us out." It might be water under the bridge for them, but it was still on my mind every damn day.

"You don't get it. She's been through a lot since the last time we saw her. I just don't want to make our problems hers." Kat rolled her eyes, looking up at him.

"If she wanted to say no, she would have. Do you not trust her to do a good job or something? Or do you just not want her around?" My chest tightened at the idea. Did he not want my help because he didn't want to spend time with me? Was he truly not over what I had done to him?

"No. It's not that. It's just that you went and asked her without even asking me if I was okay with it. You made a decision for us without including me, again. That shit has to stop if we're going to be married, Katherine. You do it all the time and I can't stand it." He replied, a stern look on his face.

"Well, excuse me for trying to make our wedding perfect. Please forgive me for trying to do whatever I can to make sure the happiest day of our lives is the best I can be. I'm not the one who insisted on getting married here in California. I wanted to do it in London, but you just had to have your friends there."

"I'm not getting into this here." Tommy muttered, shaking his head. "I'm tired of having this same fight with you."

"Because you know I'm right!" She exclaimed. "Face it, Tommy. You are just afraid that Kimberly is going to see how pathetic you think you are now that you aren't a power ranger." I watched as Tommy shrank back at the harsh comment. "No one cares that you aren't one anymore except for you. If she cares about you at all, she won't either. And her opinion shouldn't matter that much to you anyway. I'm going to be your wife. I should come first." Reaching out, she grabbed the doorknob and pulled the door open. She stormed out, slamming the door behind her. Tommy let out a line of curse words under his breath, rubbing his face with his hands. I wanted to go after her and show her a thing or two about respect, but I didn't. I set the notebook and binder I was holding down and quietly entered the room.

"Tommy?" I asked softly. He turned, looking surprised to see me standing there. "You okay?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. I'm okay. Just some wedding stuff going on, that's all." He replied, giving me a small smile. "She's just stressed with the move and everything."

"Right." I said, nodding my head. "Well, hopefully me helping will take off some of the pressure. Are you okay with me helping?" He raised an eyebrow at me, looking confused. "With everything that's happened between us…will it be too weird for you?"

"No. I don't think so." He said, shaking his head. He tucked his hands in his pockets. "Though, that's a conversation we should have. Kim, when you left-." He was interrupted by the sound of a horning beeping outside. He rolled his eyes, glancing out the window of the front door. "I should go. She'll keep doing it if not." He faced me again. "I'll be by to pick you up tomorrow about 12. Is that alright?"

"Sure."

"Okay." He opened the door, stepping half way through it. "We can talk more about it tomorrow then." I nodded, wanting to do everything but talk about the past.

"Sounds good to me."

"Bye, Kim."

"Bye, Tommy."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Hi guys! Thanks again for the reviews! Here is a longer chapter to thank you. 😊 As always, R&R!

Chapter Eleven

I tossed and turned all night, thinking about the argument I had overheard between Kat and Tommy. The look on his face when she ripped into him made my stomach churn with anger. It was something I had never seen before, Tommy backing down so easy to someone. After all of our time fighting monsters, aliens and other scary looking beasts, not once did he back down. Why the hell was he doing it to Kat? Did she really have him by the balls like that? Or was it something else? And what the hell did she mean that he cared what I thought? Tommy and I haven't spoken to each other in years. I can't have that much impact on his life anymore. She was obviously out of her mind to think that. I got that she was under a lot of pressure and stress with everything happening at once, but she had no reason to speak to Tommy like that. In my head, I rehearsed what I would say to her when I saw her next. Every time though, it turned into a mental screaming match where I told her just what I thought of the whole situation. I knew then that it would be no use to speak to her about it.

After finally falling asleep, it felt like minutes had passed when my alarm went off. I growled under my breath as I slapped the top of the alarm clock, turning off the annoying beeping. The bright red numbers red nine AM and I cursed myself for setting it. I could easily get another hour of sleep without having to worry about rushing to get ready. But, I tossed the covers off of me and climbed out of bed. The house was quiet, telling me that Jason and Trini had left for the day already. Jase had asked me if I would need a ride to the dojo last night. I told him I had to pass today due to Tommy needing me to go to the country club. Though him and Trini didn't say it, I knew that they thought this was going to be a terrible idea. It was very clear by the way they looked at me after Tommy left last night.

Taking a quick shower, I pinned my hair back in a tight bun and dug through my things to find something that would look like I belonged at Angel Grove Country Club. I had been there a few times when I was younger but that was when my parents were still married. I was only thirteen. I still could recall though, the fact that it was a very private and snotty establishment. You had to meet certain financial limits to even be considered and I knew that Tommy and Kat probably didn't meet those obligations. I wasn't sure if it mattered when renting the building for an event, but I knew that it would help them if it looked like we came from money. I found a light pink dress I had worn once for a job interview. It looked like it was straight from Jackie Kennedy's closet and I felt confident as I pulled it on. I matched it with a pair of white high heels and a layer of light makeup. I almost felt like I was running for political office rather than trying to impress rich people.

Heading downstairs, I made myself a cup of coffee and some toast to try to pass the time. I felt nerves in my belly and I couldn't understand why. I was only going to be hanging out with Tommy. It was something I had done all the time. Of course, that was quite some time ago before everything that happened between us. And we weren't planning his wedding then. I sighed, glancing over at the notebook Kat had left me. I grabbed it from where I left it last night and leafed through the pages. Kat was very well organized when it came to planning this. She knew just what she wanted and how she wanted it.

On one page in the middle of the book, I found the wedding party listed. She had herself labelled as the bride, Tommy the groom. Aisha's cousin, Tanya, would be the maid of honor and Jason was listed as the best man. She had Aisha and Trini listed as bridesmaids and under groomsmen, she had Adam, Rocky, Billy and Zach. I frowned, seeing that I was scribbled in under the bridesmaid list with a different color pen as everyone else. I had been an afterthought, I was sure. I couldn't blame her though. It was probably a nice gesture with me planning the wedding with them. How was I going to be able to afford a bridesmaid's dress though? I wasn't working yet and the very little money I had left in my savings was going towards my storage unit. Granted I would be working for Jason at the dojo but there was no way I would earn enough for a dress like the ones she had taped in the notebook. I would have to tell them I couldn't do it. I wasn't even sure if I would be able to stand up there and watch it happen that close. I would prefer to be in the back row, hiding my misery and flask at a safe distance.

A knock on the door made me look up. It was only eleven, an hour to go until I knew Tommy would be coming. Standing up, I walked towards the front door and saw Zach's face in the window. Smirking, I pulled open the door and gave him a friendly hug as he walked in. "Hey, Zach. We missed you last night! Where were you?"

"Jason told me that Kat and Tommy would be coming over and I felt like it might be a good idea to avoid that awkwardness. I came by to check on you. How did it go?" He glanced at my dress. "And where are you going?"

"It's complicated. Coffee?" I asked, walking towards the dining room. He followed after me as I headed into the kitchen. I poured him a cup of coffee as I heard him sit at the table.

"What is this?" He asked, pointing at the notebook. I grabbed his cup and walked into the dining room, setting it down in front of him.

"Those are Kat and Tommy's wedding plans. I need them to help plan the wedding." I replied, sitting across from him. He looked at me, dumbfounded.

"Excuse me? Please tell me I just heard you wrong. You are HELPING them plan their wedding?" I nodded, drinking my coffee.

"You heard me right. She asked me last night since she had to go back to London tonight. She was afraid Tommy wouldn't be able to handle everything so, I was the best idea." He shook his head, holding his cup in his hands.

"And you thought saying yes was the best idea? What happened to laying low until this was over? I thought that was the plan." I shrugged, closing the notebook.

"I couldn't just say no. They need the help and I would have felt guilty if I turned them down. It's no big deal. I'm just planning a party, really." He gazed at me, raising an eyebrow. It was something I could always say about Zach. He could always see right through me, even when I tried my best to act like everything was alright.

"Kimmy, what are you doing?" He asked, putting a hand on my arm. "You are going to start doing this, realize just how deep you are, and everything is going to blow up in your face. Is that what you really want?"

"No." I sighed, leaning my chin on my palm. "Honestly, I thought it would be a good chance for me to spend time with Tommy. For us to get to know each other again. For some reason, he doesn't hate me after everything that happened, and it must mean something, right? I know it sounds delusional and selfish, but I just thought that I could get back the friendship we had before." I looked down at my dress. "I have to go to the country club with him to hopefully book it for the wedding. He'll be here shortly."

"It's not delusional. I mean, not entirely. And you aren't a bad person. You don't have it in you to be. I'm just worried that you are going to end up with your heart broken. Maybe you should tell him how you feel." I shook my head, glancing at Zach.

"We talked about this already. I can't. I have no right to. Plus, he made it perfectly clear last night that he was set on marrying Kat. It would be terrible of me to try to stop that from happening. I am really sorry that you got dragged into this, Zach. I didn't mean for that to happen." He gave me a small smile.

"You're my friend. If I wasn't involved in your problems, it wouldn't be right. And Tommy wasn't the only one who was upset when you left. The rest of us were. You only seemed to want to be in touch with Trini and Jase. When I came back to Angel Grove, everyone told me that you had basically cut ties with the team. I didn't believe it at first but then I talked to Tommy. He told me what happened. I have never seen him so beat up before. He was crushed. He's not that same guy that he was then though. We've all grown up a bit since you left, and I think you need to keep that in mind."

"I never meant to hurt anyone." I whispered, feeling tears brim in my eyes. "I thought I was trying to help him move on with his life. I managed to hurt everyone though." Taking a deep breath, I wrapped my arms around myself. "I'm just trying to make up for that somehow."

"You have just by being here again. You don't need the conquered the world to try to prove yourself worthy to us. We love you regardless of what happened. None of us are perfect. That's what makes us human." I smiled at Zach, loving my friend for who he was.

"When did you get so smart?" I asked, wrapping my arms around his neck in a hug. He rubbed my back, chuckling.

"Probably not from spending so much time with Rocky." He replied. I laughed, sitting back in my chair. As I did, the doorbell rang. It was quarter to twelve. I had no doubt that it was Tommy. "I suppose that's my cue. Call me if you need anything, okay?" Zach said, standing up. I stood too, hugging him again.

"Thanks, Zach. You coming back over tonight?" I asked as we headed towards the living room. He nodded.

"I think so. I'm heading to the dojo now to see what Jase and Rocko are up to. I'll see you later." He opened the front door, revealing a rather dressed up Tommy standing on the other side of it. His hair was brushed back in a neat pony tail and he wore a black blazer with a white shirt underneath it. Black slacks housed his legs and shiny dress shoes covered his feet. "Well look at you! I feel like I'm looking at James Bond."

"Oh, ha ha." Tommy said, shaking his head. "I feel ridiculous. I haven't worn this since prom. Do I look ridiculous?" He asked, holding up his arms. Zach shook his head, moving to the side so that I could stand next to him in the door way.

"No. You look really nice, Tommy. Honestly." I replied, slapping Zach where Tommy couldn't see. He looked up at the sound of my voice, not seeing me before apparently. His eyes flicked over me and a smile lit up his face.

"Thanks. You look great, Kim. Are you ready to go?" He asked, pointing his thumb behind him towards his truck. I nodded.

"Yeah. Let me get my purse." I turned to Zach. "I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"Sure thing." Zach gave me another quick hug before walking out the door. He waved to Tommy as he passed, heading towards his black Corvette that was parked out front. Tommy came in the door as I walked towards the dining room.

"You guys hanging out later?" He asked, looking everywhere but at me.

"What?" I asked, confused. I grabbed my purse from the back of my chair and turned the coffee pot off.

"You and Zach. You said you would see him tonight. You guys have plans for dinner or something?" I bit back the smile that threatened to tug at my lips as I watched Tommy fiddle with a figurine on the shelf on the wall. If I didn't know any better, I would say Tommy looked a tad bit jealous.

"Well, I think Jase is having all the guys here tonight. He asked me to tell you about it when you picked me up. Did you think Zach asked me out or something?" I asked, putting my bag on my shoulder. He shrugged, finally meeting my gaze.

"Oh, well, I thought maybe since he was here and everything…" He trailed off. I rolled my eyes, walking passed him.

"We were just having coffee. C'mon. We gotta get going or we are going to be late. That's not how you impress the country club." I smirked to myself as we headed out the front door.

The drive to the country club was quiet is we rode in Tommy's dark green SUV. I found it fitting it was green, a change from the white bronco he had when I last saw him. I had always thought that green was a better color for him even though he shined brightly during his time as the white ranger. Green looked better on him in my opinion. But, apparently so did black I noticed from the suit he was wearing. It fit his shoulders nicely, making them look broad but the rest of him slender at the same time. He tapped the steering wheel with his fingers as he drove, the overbearing silence that filled the truck making awkward tension. I gazed out the window, watching the trees on the outskirts of Angel Grove pass by.

The country club was located about five minutes outside of town. It used to be a mansion owned by those who first settled in Angel Grove and built the city to what it was today. A very rich family, the Andersons, bought the property in the forties and turned it into the most popular place for well off people in town. The house was passed down from generation to generation at that point, it being upgraded throughout the years. Last I knew, it had a full golf course, a spa and its own set of tennis courts. Everyone hopes to be accepted and everyone wishes that they at least knew someone who was a member in hopes of getting invited to events that are always closed to the public. When I was thirteen, my parents made me go to some kind of stupid party they were having for the grandson, Toby Anderson. He was the same age of me and a total spoiled brat. He spent the whole time bragging about his new horse his parents had given to him for his birthday. I about did cartwheels when my parents said we were leaving.

The long drive to the country club came into view, an elegant hand carved sign at the gate. Tommy pulled his truck into it and started up the cobble stone driveway. The front lawn was as lush as I remembered, the dark green making the stone fountain out front shine with its white marble. It was a carved statue of cherubs, water spouting out of their mouths as they kissed the air. Around the fountain, the driveway circled around and there was a small building where the valet was stationed. Behind that, the Angel Grove Country Club stood. It was a four-story giant of a mansion, grey stone bricks making up the structure. The roof was made of black tiles, cast iron windows covering each side of the house. Brilliant gardens of roses, ivies and other flowers filled in around the front of the club, statues like the one in the fountain set out along brick walkways. Men dressed in white dress shirts and black slacks, little black ties around their necks, walked around the grounds. Now and then, they would clip a flower or tend to another part of the garden. As we neared the valet, another man dressed in similar clothes stepped out. He wasn't much older than us, red hair cut short and gelled on his head. He smiled at Tommy as he put his truck in park and rolled down his window.

"Good afternoon! Welcome to Angel Grove Country Club. My name is Peter. It would be my pleasure to park your vehicle, sir." The boy said. Tommy gave me a side glance, looking like this was a foreign concept to him. Reaching over, I took the keys out of the ignition and held them out over Tommy so that Peter could grab them.

"Thank you, Peter." I said, smiling at him. Grabbing my purse, I opened up the door and climbed out. Tommy did ad well, meeting me on the sidewalk. We watched as Peter hopped into the driver's seat and drove the truck towards the back of the building.

"I don't like when other people drive my truck." Tommy mumbled, glaring in the direction Peter had disappeared.

"It'll be fine. I'm sure he would pay dearly if something happened to it." I patted him on the back before turning to face the main house. "Besides, that's the least of your troubles." He turned too, looking up at the large building.

"You're right. Good thing you're here. I would totally bomb this on my own."

"I don't think so. You clean up like a shiny penny. I'm just here for moral support." I replied, winking at him. I stepped forward, walking up the six steps that led towards the front door. Tommy followed, and the doors opened as we approached them. Two men dressed as the others smiled at us, letting us in the main foyer. We went through another set of doors and found ourselves standing in the main reception area of the country club.

"Holy shit." Tommy whispered next to me looking around. The main area of the house was quite impressive and borderline massive. It consisted of a large sitting area, three fire places surrounded my numerous couches and chairs. There were also two conference rooms on the right side of the room, glass windows revealing empty chairs and long tables in there. On the left side, there was a stairs case that led up to the spa area as well as the lodging room where members could stay. In the middle of the room, there was a reception desk and a plump woman with brown hair sat behind it. She wore glasses on her nose and she was reviewing something on the computer as we approached her.

"Hello. My name is Kimberly Hart. I am here representing Katherine Hibbard and Thomas Oliver. We have an appointment to view the venue." I said, smiling sweetly at the woman. She looked up at me, not looking all the caring about why I was there.

"It is 12:05. You are late." She stated, flicking her eyes down to look at an appointment book in front of her.

"Yes. I do apologize. I do hope that this hasn't cause some kind of inconvenience." I said, trying to remain friendly.

"Let me see if Mr. Anderson is still willing to see you or not." She lazily reached over and picked up the receiver of a phone on the desk. She pressed a few buttons and brought it to her ear. "Mr. Anderson, the twelve finally showed up." She listened for a moment and then hung the phone up. "He will be right down. Don't be surprised if he turns you down though."

"Thank you." I said, turning to Tommy. "Let's wait over there." I gestured over to the closest fire place. We took a few steps that way, stopping where she couldn't hear us.

"She's pleasant." Tommy said. He wrung his hands in front of him, nervousness on his face. "God, they aren't going to say yes. Kat is going to kill me if we don't get in here."

"Listen to me." I said, grabbing his shoulders. "He is going to come down here and we are going to show him some of the most upstanding citizens that Angel Grove has to offer. The best way to do it is to act like you have money. As long as he thinks that, we'll be fine." He swore.

"I hate being someone I'm not though."

"I know, Tommy, but that's how these people work."

"Miss Hart?" A voice said behind us. Turning on my heel, I saw a man standing by the desk looking at us. He was a taller guy, blonde hair on the top of his head combed neatly to the side. He was dressed in a late grey suit with a light purple tie and his expression was that of annoyance as he wrote something down on the desk. Uh oh.

"Yes." I replied, walking towards him with Tommy on my heels.

"I'm very sorry but I don't believe that we are going to be able…" Mr. Anderson's voice trailed off as he stood up straight to look at us. His eyes were a dark shade of blue and it suddenly dawned on me who I was looking at. "Kimberly Hart?" Toby Anderson asked, smiling.

"Toby." I replied, giving him a small smile. "It's so nice to see you."

"And you too. I didn't realize that it was you." He reached out and took my hand, gently shaking it. His eyes raked over my body and I shivered. I didn't like the way he lingered at my breasts, but I didn't say anything.

"Me either. How are your parents?" I asked.

"Fine. My father recently retired and asked me to take over for him. My mother insists that he spend more time with her, so he needed someone to take over. Who is your friend here?" He asked, looking at Tommy.

"This is my friend, Thomas Oliver. He would be the groom." I said, shifting so they could shake hands.

"Nice to meet you." Tommy said, giving him a smile. I saw it was strained from the look in his eyes.

"And are you the bride?" Toby asked, ignoring Tommy's greeting. I shook my head.

"Just the wedding planner. The bride is leaving for Europe this afternoon, so she couldn't make it." Toby's smile widened, and he clasped his hands together.

"How exciting! Well, let me show you around then. It really hasn't changed since we were kids though." He reached out and put his hand on the small of my back before leading us up the hallway. My heels clicked on the beautiful hardwood floors underneath us as he pointed around us. "During weddings, we like to decorate everything we can to make it an all-inclusive event. We dress up the staircase, set up flowers throughout the entire main floor, and have engraved signs for guests so they will be able to find the ceremony site and the reception hall."

"Very nice." I stated as he moved us into the large reception room at the back of the mansion. It was a vastly large room, tall windows on the back part of the hall. Hardwood floors ran the length of the room and almost sparkled from the wax coating on them. On the second half of the room, round tables were set up with chairs around them. Each table was coated in a white table cloth and set up with fine china and wine glasses. The chairs were covered in white covers and fresh flowers hung from vases on the walls. He stopped in the middle of what would be the dance floor and turned to face Tommy and me.

"This would be the reception area. We can fit up to 300 people for six hours. Our rates include set up, cocktail hour, dinner, dancing, and cake cutting. Of course, there are other things that we could discuss that could be included as well. The band or DJ set up in this right corner and this is where the dance floor would be. When dinner is served, this is where the buffet line would be. It's quite the nice space and we have a number of people fighting for your weekend so feel honored that I opted to wait for you to see if first." He grinned at me, flashing a wink as he headed towards the back door. "If you follow me, I can show you where the ceremony would take place."

"He's an ass." Tommy whispered next to me. I stifled a chuckle as we followed after his. Toby held the door open for us, making sure to put his hand on my lower back again. Tommy rolled his eyes when he saw this but didn't say anything. Toby led us down the stone path towards a gazebo where rows of white chairs were set up in front of it. A large rose garden was around the gazebo, red, pink, and white blossoms blooming in the sunlight. There was an archway at the end of the aisle, roses and ivy wrapped around it. It was quite beautiful, and it made me smile when I saw it. It was something I had always pictured for my wedding day.

"And this is our ceremony spot. It can fit up to two hundred people and there is a sound system to play music before and during the ceremony. Most of our brides fall in love with this. Well, that and other things." He winked at me again, his fingers brushing the top of my ass. I balled my hand into a fist next to my leg where he couldn't see it. "So, what do we think?"

"I think it's lovely." I stated. "Tommy, what do you think?" I turned to look at him and saw he had a look of distain on his face. He nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"It's everything Kat wants." He replied. "How much is it?"

"Our packages start at $15,000. But for everything that the bride mentioned on the phone, it'll be about $25,000." I bit back my surprise at the number and saw that Tommy didn't even bat an eye. Did he really have that kind of money from racing and Kat's ballet? "Is price an issue?" Toby asked, a smug look on his face as he adjusted the gold Rolex on his wrist.

"No. What is included food wise?" Tommy asked, annoyance growing.

"A three-course meal with a chicken, steak, and fish option. We have our own award-winning bakery on site but that would not be included. There is complimentary soda, water, and coffee but alcohol has its own packages. In all, you are looking at close to $30,000 for a small wedding."

"Is there any way to bring that price down? The bride is asking for a dry reception." I stated, remembering the notebook and the list of demands. Toby shrugged his shoulder.

"That is always an option. That would drop it down a few grand. Of course, if you really can't afford it, I don't believe that this is the right venue for your wedding."

"We can afford it." Tommy snapped. "That's not the problem. Do all of your staff treat prospective guests so rudely? Or is it just you?"

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Mr. Oliver. Some of our underprivileged guests do feel jealousy when they are visiting our establishment. I can see why you would host some resentment."

"Listen-." Tommy started but I cut him off.

"I do have to apologize, Toby. Tommy has just come back to town from being on the racing circuit and he hasn't had much sleep. Please do forgive him for the outburst. He is very interested in booking this venue for his wedding and will be able to afford. Please reconsider letting him rent the space." I said, giving him a smile. I felt like I was begging for a moment.

"Well, I guess I can." He said, grinning down at me. "If you agree to go out with me."

"What?" I asked, surprised by his answer.

"I will change my mind and even offer him a lower rate if you join me for dinner tonight. And maybe drinks after. Who knows what could happen after that." He looked me up and down again, running a finger up my arm. I fought the urge to slap him. This was important to Kat which in turn made it important to Tommy. One dinner with this guy wouldn't kill me, especially if it meant getting the venue that they really wanted.

"On second thought, I think we will be going with a different venue." Tommy said, stepping forward. He put himself between Toby and I and put his hands on his hips. "This is a really nice place, but I don't feel comfortable putting my friend in a situation to be harassed by someone like you. Thanks, but no thanks. Come on, Kimberly." He turned and started hiding towards the side of the house.

"Just because he is leaving, doesn't mean you have to." Toby said, grabbing my arm as I went to follow. "I can always give you a ride in my Mercedes. I can give you everything that this guy can't."

"You son of a bitch." Tommy said, pulling his arm back. He punched Toby square in the nose, a loud crack ringing out. Toby's head shot back, and he stumbled backwards. He tripped over himself, falling. When he landed, something came out of his pocket. A gold wedding band landed by my toe, a silver heart engraved in it. Bending over, I picked it up. I saw his name engraved inside along with the name Becky.

"I'll have you arrested!" Toby exclaimed, pointing at tommy.

"And I'll tell Becky that you were trying to pick up girls." I said, throwing the ring back at him. He caught it, looking at it with a guilty expression. Tommy grabbed my upper arm and led me around the house towards the valet.

"What an asshole." Tommy said, glaring behind him. "Are you oaky?"

"I'm fine but Tommy, I could have just gone out with him. It wouldn't have been that bad. You gave up the venue that Kat really wanted for me."

"I know. She's going to be so pissed." He breathed, stopping at the valet shack. Peter ran off to get the truck, Tommy glaring at him. "But I couldn't take that guy putting his hands on you. He was a creep and I wasn't going to let him get away with it." Peter pulled up with Tommy's truck a few second later. I quickly handed him a few dollars before climbing in. Tommy squealed out of the drive, leaving tire marks as he did.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Tommy stewed next to me in the driver's seat the whole way back into town. Instead of going back to Jason's house, he veered off and pulled up in front of the Youth Center. I almost didn't recognize it without the big sign out front that hung there my entire childhood. The outside of the building was painted a nice tan color, trees planted along the side of it. I saw Jason's truck in the parking lot, Zach's car next to it. Tommy put the SUV in park and sat back in his seat. "What the hell am I going to do now?" He muttered, pulling the hair tie from his hair.

"We'll figure it out, Tommy. I'm sure there is somewhere else in Angel Grove that you can have your reception at. And the ceremony could always be in your parent's backyard or something." He shook his head.

"Kat invited two hundred people. No one I know can fit that many people in their yard." He popped open his door and climbed out. I followed him, leaving my purse in the car. Tommy's long legs made long strides towards the front door which he held open for me. I stepped through, feeling like I had stepped through a time machine. The hallway from the door was lined with bright blue lockers and the flor was covered in yellow and green tiles. I walked up the length of the hall, coming to the large room of the youth center. It looked just like it did when I was a kid. The walls were a teal color, neon signs hanging from them that read ARCADE, GYM, and JUICE BAR. The floor was tiled in sea foam green on the lower part of the of the room. The stairs leading up to the bar area were red, the floor a purple color up here. The bar was assembled now, a curved structure that was green on the bottom and a burnt orange on top. Behind the bar, there was a mirror on the wall and above that, a sign that read Ernie's Juice Bar was posted.

"Hey guys! How'd it go?" Zach called out from the far corner of the room. He was holding a buffing machine, finishing up the green floors. Jason emerged from the kitchen behind the bar, wiping his hands off with a rag.

"Terrible." Tommy replied, plopping down in one of the chairs in front of the bar. There were several boxes in the corner of the room, pictures of tables and chairs on them.

"I take it there will be no fancy wedding then?" Jason asked, frowning. I shook my head, patting Tommy on the shoulder.

"It's fine. We will figure this out." I said. "This place looks great, Jase. You guys recreated everything perfectly!"

"Thanks." Jason replied, beaming. "I hope it's something Ernie would be proud of. I just have to finish putting all the tables and chairs together and then we will be good to open." He tossed the rag down and leaned against the bar. Zach walked over, unplugging the buffer.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Zach asked, leaning against the bar. He grabbed a bottle of water from the counter and took a sip. Tommy shrugged.

"Do you know any place big enough to house 200 hundred people that is available next weekend?" Tommy asked, pouting. Zach shook his head, a frown on his face.

"Sorry, man. What about the community center? Or the polish hall?"

"Both are booked." Tommy sighed, standing. "I'm going to have to tell Kat that the wedding will have to be majorly down sized or postponed."

"Not necessarily." I said, looking around the youth center. "Jason, how many people are you allowed to have in here?"

"250." He replied.

"You could have it here!" I exclaimed, excitement building in my chest. I turned to look at the boys who looked confused. "Think about it! You could have the ceremony in the park and the reception here. It's the perfect spot! It has a bar, a kitchen, and plenty of space." Tommy looked around the room, a smile forming on his lips.

"You're right! We could get all the linens and stuff and make this look like a fancy venue! Aisha and Tanya could even get their aunt to help us with the flowers. You are a genius, Kim!" He hugged me tightly before turning to face Jason. "What about it, man? Do you think it would work?"

"Hey, anything to help you out. At least I don't have to get you a wedding present now." Jason smirked, picking up the rag again.

"Great! Jase, do you have some paper and a pencil? I can map this out." Jason gave me some paper and a pencil. Together, Tommy and I mapped out how the reception would be set up. We decided to put the tables on the right side of the room and the dance floor on the other. This left room for the head table by the stairs. There would be plenty of room for people to walk and for the candy table that Kat wanted near the cake. As for the bar, we would stock it with different soda, juices, and other beverages. I knew that there would be alcohol of some kind. There was no way that everyone would be attending this without alcohol coming in one way or not. I knew I would be bringing some at least.

Once we had it all mapped out, Tommy called Kat to tell her about our idea. I overheard him tell her that the country club was booked, leaving out all the details about what had happened. I could tell she probably wasn't thrilled about this idea, but he didn't seem upset when he got off the phone with. "She said that she would be fine with it. She was getting ready to board her plane, so she couldn't talk long. But this is a really great idea." Tommy said, walking back over to me. Jason and Zach were putting tables and chairs together, taking turns whacking one another with a leg every now and then.

"That's good. I hope this all works out well. I think it'll be fitting to have it here." I replied, tucking the plan in my dress pocket. "I wanted to thank you, by the way. For helping me out back with Toby."

"No thanks needed. There was no way I was going to let that guy keep being like that to you. Honestly, I was surprised you were letting him talk to you like that. I was waiting for you to kick his ass."

"I would have but I didn't want to ruin your chances of having the club for the wedding."

"Kim, you thought that having our wedding there was more important than your well-being? That's crazy! It's just a party. You are more important than that." He said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks, Tommy." I said, feeling a slight blush fill my cheeks.

"No problem. So, what's next? It has to be all easy after today, right?" He chuckled, drawing his hand back. I smirked, nodding.

"I hope so. There is a caterer that Kat wants us to check out. She made an appointment for around eleven. Then I have to go to the florist after that to pick out flowers. You don't have to come with me for that though. It's kinda girly."

"No. I want to come." He replied, standing up from his bar stool. "You want a ride home?" He pointed to the backdoor that led to the parking lot. Glancing over, I saw that Jason was still assembling the tables and chairs with Zach.

"Hey, Jase. You going to be here a while?" I called out. He looked up, glancing at his watch.

"Probably. You heading home? I have to grab Adam before I head back. Tommy, you hanging out for a bit at the house? Beer and swimming!" He exclaimed. Tommy shrugged.

"I have nothing else going on. I'll take Kim home then swing by my place to get my trunks. Unless you don't mind stopping at my apartment first." I shook my head.

"I don't mind." Turning back to Jason, I waved. "I'll see you at the house!"

"Pull out some hamburgers and hot dogs from the freezer when you get there!" He called out as Tommy and I headed out the backdoor. I waved again, letting him know I had heard him. I could hear him and Zach snicker as the door slammed shut behind me, knowing full well they were talking about Tommy and I. Rolling my eyes, I followed Tommy to his truck. He climbed into his seat as I pulled more door open. Shifting my things, I slid in and shut the door.

"I'm glad Zach was able to get the time off to come back to town for the wedding." Tommy said, turning over the truck. "Billy should be here in the next few days, depending how things are on Aquitar."

"Billy is coming? I thought he couldn't leave the planet due to the spell." I asked as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed for the south part of town.

"Well, we worked with the scientists on Aquitar and they were able to find a potion that will allow him to spend some time here. He'll need to take it every day, but he said it was worth it to be able to come back and see everyone. He hasn't seen his father in almost a year. I'm glad he'll be able to again."

"I can't wait to see him. I haven't spoken to him much since he left the team. My phone bill didn't support other planet phone calls." I joked, gazing out the window. "What day is Billy coming in? That's when we will plan to get your tuxes."

"The day after tomorrow, I believe. He is going to let me know for sure what time later tonight." He took a right down James Street. "I can't wait to have the gang all together. This will be the first time we have both sets of teams here all together."

"It's going to be something, that's for sure." I murmured, frowning to my reflection in the window. _This could have happened already if I wasn't such an idiot_ , I thought. I shook it away though as he pulled up to a stop outside of a three-story red brick building. He killed the engine, pocketing the keys in his dress pants before turning to face me. "Just a heads up; my apartment isn't the biggest thing in the world. It's especially worse now with us packing everything up and Kat having her stuff there too."

"If it's anything like how your bedroom used to be in high school, I should bring a hazmat suit." I smirked, getting a playful glare from him.

"I knew sneaking you in was a bad idea." He muttered, climbing out the truck. He opened my door for me, closing it when I hopped out. Glancing up at the building, I saw there were white painted windows on the sides and two large glass doors at the front. There was a purple awning over the entry way, the fabric torn and tattered. There were also some dead potted plants on either side of the door and I could see trash in both pots as we walked inside. "I know it doesn't look like much but it's nice. My uncle owns the building and lets his racers stay here during the season. He let me move in after I joined his team. He's not too thrilled about me heading to London though." Tommy explained as we walked up a long narrow hallway that was painted an off yellow color. There was a wall of mailboxes, small holes for keys and numbers on each individual door. At the end of the hall, there was an elevator. He pressed the up button and glanced down at me. "Sorry if it's gross."

"Tommy, relax. It's no worse than the places I lived in Florida." I replied, patting his arm. The elevator doors opened, and he let me walk on first. It was small, big enough for four people maybe, and smelt like stale air and smoke. He pressed the cracked three button and the doors shut. Together, we rode up in silence. Occasionally, he would smile at me. His suit jacket was tucked into the crook of his arm and he looked tense. His shoulders were slightly hunched, and he kept playing with his pony tail. Was he really that embarrassed about his apartment?

"Here we are." He said as the doors opened finally. It revealed a similar hallway at the one downstairs on the first floor; long, narrow and painted off-yellow. Tommy strode off the elevator with me in tow, following as we passed door after door. I could hear voices behind them and occasionally a television. The smell of bacon was also in the air and my stomach growled. I hadn't had anything to eat today since my toast this morning. Rubbing my tummy, I came to a stop when Tommy did outside of a brown door with the number 327 engraved on the door casing. Reaching into his pocket, he fished out his keys. Quickly, he unlocked the door and stepped in. "Home sweet home." He stated, holding out his arms as I stepped inside.

The apartment was on the smaller side, I had to give him that I didn't see where he thought it was horrible though. The first room we entered was the living room. It was neat and tidy, a couch in the middle of the room with an entertainment center across from it. There was a television in the middle of it and some kind of video game system connected to it. There were various knickknacks on the shelves, most of them dragons or tigers, and several posters of Bruce Lee were framed on the white walls around the room. Attached to the living room, there was an eat-in kitchen. The walls were white also, with pressed wood cabinets and cheap counter top. The fridge was black, mismatching the white stove next to it. There wasn't much to see here, a toaster and a coffee pot in the corner of the counter. There was also a small table and chairs set in the left-hand side of the kitchen. There was a stack of mail on the table along with a coffee cup. There was a door next to the table and I could see a dark green shower curtain from where I stood by the front door.

"It's cute." I said, looking around. "It's very you, Tommy. And I mean that in a good way." I set my purse down on the couch and noticed a stack of boxes in the corner behind the TV stand. "How has the packing been going?"

"Terrible. Between Kat coming home, the racing circuit ending, and then everything going on with the wedding, I've had no time to pack. It's something I have on my forever growing to-do list, but it'll get done. Do you want something to drink?" He offered, gesturing towards the kitchen. He walked over and opened the door of the fridge. "I have water, a diet coke, and some beer." He said, glancing at me.

"The diet coke works." I replied. He grabbed the can from the top shelf and opened it for me before handing it over. I took a sip and noticed some pictures hanging on the wall behind us. Stepping closer, I saw that it was a large group photo of all of us when we were on younger. It was the same one that hung at my house, the one where Tommy was looking down at me. "Wow." I said, shocked.

"Yeah. It's corny but it's one of my favorite pictures."

"I have the same one." I whispered, biting my lip. "It was hanging in my kitchen until I moved here." For some reason, I felt tear prick at the back of my eyes. Why? Because he had the same picture in his apartment? We all received them once Aisha printed them out. I'm sure somewhere at her house, there was one. But his was hanging right in the open. The one picture I had though, that made me believe how much he loved me, was hanging right here in the open in the apartment he shared with Kat. I blinked back the tears before I let my mind run off with what it meant. It meant nothing, and I needed to get a grip. "It is a great picture." I said, smiling at him. "So, did you and Kat find a place in London yet?"

"Well, she gets to live with the ballet company in their housing. I only have a few weeks until I will be travelling with the circuit so there was no use in getting a place there yet. I am just going to rent a hotel room for the time being and keep a storage unit until she's allowed to move somewhere else."

"Living out of a storage unit? I feel ya there." I took a sip from my soda. "Are you excited though? A new country, a new job, and a wife! That's quite the adventure." He shrugged, leaning against the counter in the kitchen.

"It'll be something, that's for sure." He replied, sounding a bit deflated. Casting my eyes to look at him, I saw he was looking at his feet and absent mindedly fiddling with his ponytail again. For a moment, I thought about asking him if this was what he really wanted to do. I stopped myself though. That was no place for me to say anything or question his happiness with Kat. It would just cause drama where there didn't need to be any drama.

"It might take some adjusting but I think you'll love it over there. I was in London on a layover when I went to see my Mom a couple years ago. It's very nice. Just like everything you see in the movies. Make sure you visit Big Ben! It's huge in person. And then there's Buckingham Palace. When I was there, the Queen actually came out for a walk around the grounds. Such a cute little lady. I wish I had more time there, but I only had six hours between flights."

"You'll have to come visit once we get settled in. You can take some time to really enjoy it then. Maybe when Kat's show opens. She said something about inviting everyone to see it. We'd love to have you." He said, looking up at me again. I felt my chest grow heavy with the idea of visiting him in London. He would be married then. They could be working on building a family at that point. The thought made my nausea. I don't think I would ever be able to handle that.

"Yeah! Once I get on my feet, we will have to plan it." Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something sticking out from the drawer in the entertainment center. Tommy saw that I was looking over there. He let out a laugh, walking towards it.

"I was going through here this morning when I was looking for something. I guess I didn't shut it all the way." He knelt down on the floor in front of it and pulled it open all the way. It was a deep drawer, measuring about a foot in height. "Wanna see?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at me. The way he asked was so mischievous. His lips were set in a small grin and his right eyebrow was cocked. I set the can of soda on the kitchen table and walked towards him.

"What is it?" I asked. He patted the floor next to me. Inside the drawer, I could see a velvet blanket. It was a deep red color and I could tell there was something underneath it.

"Sit down and I'll show you." He answered. Eyeing him, I gripped his shoulder and knelt down next to him. I tucked my feet under me and leaned in closer. "What I'm about to show you, you can't tell anyone. I need you to swear to me that this is something you won't speak a word about. Okay?"

"Jesus, Tommy. Do you have a dead body in there or something?" I whispered, glancing over my shoulder for some weird reason. It wasn't like I was expecting someone to actually be there. He grinned, shrugging his shoulder.

"Just promise me, okay?"

"Fine. I promise." I replied. Nodding, he reached in and pulled the velvet blanket off the top of the drawer. When he did, I saw several different shaped objects inside. The first thing I recognized with the green helmet. "Is that your old helmet?" I asked, confused.

"It is." He reached in and pulled it out. Though there was a crack in the visor and some chips missing from it, it was indeed the green Power Ranger head gear. I hadn't seen it since he lost his powers so many years ago.

"But how? I thought it was destroyed when you lost your powers."

"So, did I but when the Command Center was destroyed, we found it in the rubble. Alpha said that it was stored there since the powers were no longer useable. I stole it when no one was looking."

"Can you do that? Won't they be looking for it?" I asked, touching the top of it. It brought back a wave of memories; us in battle, hanging around the Command Center, learning about his fate as the evil Green Ranger.

"I'm not sure. That's why you can't tell anyone. No one else knows I have it. Not even Kat."

"It's not dangerous anymore, is it?" I asked, fearful that he had something that could put himself in danger. He shook his head, setting it back in the drawer.

"No. Billy ran some tests on everything we found and none of it came back with any power readings. They were all fried when everything went down. Now, they are just cool artifacts in Power Ranger history."

"Why do I feel like you walked out of there with more than just a helmet?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. He smiled sheepishly, reaching into the drawer again. When he pulled his hand out, he held a silver watch band in his hand. I could see a white band around the round part and I recognized it as his communicator. "No way!" I gasped, carefully taking it from him.

"Yeah. These weren't destroyed since we were wearing them, but we had to trade them in when we became the Zeo Rangers. Alpha let me keep it though once they disconnected them. Billy has his as well. Before he left, he fixed them so that I would be able to contact him on Aquitar."

"That is amazing! What else do you have in there?" Tommy showed me the rest of his stolen collection, including a gear shift from the Falcon zord, a set of keys from the Turbo zord he had just given up recently and then the chipped blade of Saba, his beloved sword when he was the White Ranger. He tucked each piece carefully into the drawer, closing it gently. "I'm jealous." I said, looking over at him. "I wish I had something from when I was the pink ranger. I had to hand everything over to Kat when I lost my powers."

"I only happened to stumble on most of this stuff. No one else has anything from when we were rangers. I've asked. I just wanted something to remember it by since it was such a huge part of my life. I thought I was always going to be a ranger and that it would be something nice to remember my time spent when I retired from it. Of course, I thought it would be a lot further in the future." He gazed down at the drawer, a sadness etched into his features.

"You didn't want to quit." I said, causing him to look up at me.

"It was the right thing to do." He replied. I shook my head.

"That's not what I said. You didn't want to leave the team yet. You want to keep fighting with them." He shrugged.

"Well, yeah."

"So, why aren't you? You are Tommy Oliver, the great Power Ranger to ever live. The Rangers would have loved to have you on their team as long as possible."

"It's not what Kat wanted. Being a Power Ranger doesn't exactly pay the bills and she wanted a successful boyfriend. So, it was time to compromise."

"But, why? Just because she wanted to leave doesn't mean you had to."

"She was worried that something would happen to me. I couldn't blame her for that. And I wanted to explore more options. Like racing. And maybe going to school." Reaching up, he pulled the hair tie from his hair and the brown locks fell over his face. "I wanted to make something of myself that she could be proud of."

"Tommy, being a Power Ranger is the biggest thing on Earth she could be proud of. It's the same as being a hero on a daily basis. If she couldn't deal with that, she obviously didn't realize who she was with. Can't you talk to Alpha or Zordon? See if there is some way for you to join the team again?"

"Kim…" He said softly, looking down at him hands. "Jason didn't tell you, did he?"

"Tell me what?"

"Zordon died a few months ago." He whispered, locking eyes with me. I felt the breath escape my lips as I slid back so I was sitting on my rear end.

"What?" I whispered, tears forming in my eyes.

"There was a huge attack coming. All of these horrible monsters were heading this way. They were looking to ambush the planet, Rita and Zedd included. The leader of the Space Rangers, Andros, came to Earth to try and stop it. Zordon informed him that the only way to do that was by breaking his energy tube. Andros told him he didn't want to, but he didn't have any other choice. Zordon sacrificed himself and in doing so, it purified all the beings coming to Earth. He saved the planet, but he couldn't survive outside of the energy tube."

"They didn't try to bring him back? We had done it before! With the great power. Why didn't they at least try?" I asked, tears slipping down my cheeks.

"His energy was absorbed into the universe. There was nothing to bring back. I'm really sorry, Kim. I thought Jason or Trini would have told you." I shook my head, covering my mouth with my hand. I couldn't believe he was truly gone. He was like a father figure to me, filling in the role that my own father had all but given up when he divorced my mother. Zordon had guided me through so much when I was a teen with everything I faced as a Power Ranger and just as a regular kid. He had helped me decide to head to Florida, knowing that if I had stayed, it would eventually kill me in the end. He was the one who convinced me that following my dreams was worth it, along with Tommy. It was the last time I had seen him. I thought that there might have been a chance of me seeing him now that I was back in town. But, now I never would. How could he truly be gone?

"I can't believe he's gone." I cried. I pulled my knees into my chest and cried, emotion pouring out of me as I did. I felt Tommy slid himself towards me and his arms wrapped around me. He pulled me into a tight hug and I leaned into him. His body was warm and soft to the touch and even through my grief, I felt my heart race as he hugged me.

"Shh." He murmured into my hair. "I gotcha."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

About half an hour later, Tommy and I were heading back to Jason and Trini's house. Surprisingly, there hadn't been any awkwardness between the two of us after our embrace during my breakdown. He did his best to make me laugh though, cracking jokes about mostly himself and our time as Rangers. It reminded me of the carefree Tommy I had left behind. His smile was even more genuine than I had seen it since my time being back. He looked happy, something I had missed seeing. It was good to see it again and it was hard for me to push the memory of his arms around me out of my head, but I did my best to as he pulled into the driveway.

Inside, I found Trini sitting in the dining room. She had a laptop open in front of her and the house phone to her ear. She waved at Tommy and I when we entered the room. She pointed at the phone and mouthed the word 'work' to us. I nodded, quietly pulling the packages of frozen hot dogs and hamburgers from the freezer before motioning Tommy to follow me upstairs. I led him to my room, giving Trini some privacy to finish her phone call. I cringed at the mess my room was, my clothes scattered here and there from my frantic search for something this morning. "Sorry." I said, scooping up clothes as I walked through the room. "I was a bit crazy this morning. Have a seat. I just want to change out of this quick." I tossed everything in my closet as he sat on my bed. I grabbed a tank top, a pair of shorts and my bathing suit before disappearing into the bathroom. I changed quickly, not wanting to leave him alone for too long. I put my suit on under my clothes, the bright pink polka dot bikini looking foreign to me. I had only worn it once, a year ago when I bought it for a pool party someone at work had invited me too. I tossed my white tank top over it, the straps showing.

"You still have this?" Tommy asked as I came back into my bedroom. He was looking at the dresser, seeing my important things I had looked through the first night I had been in town. I hadn't found the time to put them away yet. He was looking at a strip of photos from the photo booth that had been set up at Angel Grove's Power Rangers Day. There were four pictures, all of the two of us in black and white. The first two, we were making silly faces. The third, he had pulled me into his lap. The last, he had kissed me on the lips. I didn't even have to see it to know what it looked like. I had the images burned into my memory.

"Oh that? I found it in a box when I was unpacking the other day." I lied, trying my best to sound like it was no big deal. "I found pictures of everyone."

"That day was so much fun. Well, besides the monster attack. Leave it to Rita and Zedd to ruin even the days planned for us." He set the pictures back down and turned to face me. "So, I brought my communicator. Would you like to call Billy with me?" He asked.

"Yes!" I exclaimed, plopping on the bed next to him. He let out a chuckle, pulling the communicator from his back pocket. He held it in his left hand, pressing the button on the side of it.

"Billy, you there?" He asked into the speaker. It crackled for a minute before a voice answered him.

"Affirmative, Tommy. How are you?" Billy's voice replied. I smiled widely, excited to hear his voice.

"I'm good, Billy. I have someone here who couldn't wait to say hello though." Tommy pointed the speaker towards me.

"Hey, Billy!" I said. There was more static.

"Kimberly? Am I correct in saying that is you?" The former blue ranger asked.

"It's me. When are you getting your butt here?" I asked.

"Astounding! I was hoping I would be able to reach out to you once I returned to Earth. I will be arriving sometime tomorrow evening, depending on the tides." I raised an eyebrow at Tommy.

"Water." He replied. I nodded, not understanding but I went with it anyway.

"That's great! I can't wait to catch up with you then. You travel safe, okay?"

"Affirmative. I will." Tommy released the button and speaker went silent. He put it back in his pocket and shook his head.

"Sure isn't the same around here without Billy. It'll be good to have him here again." He stated. "After he left, it felt like there was a geeky hole left that we couldn't quite replace."

"What else have you been working on that the team doesn't know about?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him. He smirked, shrugging his shoulders.

"Nothing. I just like to keep an eye on things, that's all. Remember, you can't tell anyone I have that stuff."

"I won't." I replied, pulling myself to my feet. "But, why did you tell me? If anything, I would think you would tell Jason or Kat. Why me?"

"I could always trust you. After Jason left, you were like my second in command." He stood as well, tucking his hands into his jeans. He had changed before we came back, a red t-shirt on his torso. "I just assumed you would understand why I did it, I guess."

"I totally understand it." I said, frowning. "Being a Ranger was such an important part of who we are. It helped shape us into the people we've become and having something from that time is a good way to remind us where we've come from. If anything, I'm surprised you don't have a part of the Dragonzord hidden somewhere." He laughed, shrugging his shoulder.

"It is still out in the ocean. I suppose if I get the right gear and tools…" He trailed off, looking off into the distance.

"You are such a dork."

About twenty minutes later, Trini came to find us to let us know it was safe to come downstairs. She had been on the phone with her professor who was guiding her through her research. Her time working in the lab was coming to an end and her paper about her research was due the day before the wedding. She was studying the effects various chemicals on the genetic makeup of humans. She had explained it in more depth when I first arrived, but it was way out of my mental capabilities. I wasn't stupid, but Trini's IQ was far greater than mine. She was clearly nervous about turning in her paper as it would be the judgement of whether she would receive approval into her final stages of her doctoral program or not.

Around six, Jason rolled in with Adam and Zach in tow. The rowdy bunch was excitedly talking about something as they came out on the back porch where Trini, Tommy and I were sitting. Jason gave Trini a kiss on the lips when he saw her, a wide smile on his face. "Hey, babe."

"Hey. What's going on? You all seem so happy." She asked, eyeing her boyfriend. Jason shrugged, a sly smile on his face.

"Oh, nothing. We just figured out what we are going to do for Tommy's bachelor party." He looked over at Tommy. "The night before the wedding, you are going out with all of us. No ifs, ands, or butts about it." He said, pointing a finger at him. "It's gonna be a blast."

"Great." Tommy said, rolling his eyes next to me. I snorted, suppressing the laugh that wanted to come out.

"It will be fun! Besides, I'm sure the girls will have something planned for Kat." Jason turned to Trini for help who nodded.

"Yes. Aisha and Tonya have something planned. They emailed me this morning." She replied.

"See! We'll go out, have a great time, and enjoy the last hours of your freedom while you are still here in America to enjoy it." Jason clapped Tommy on the back, smiling over at Adam and Zach.

"Alright. But someone better tell Rocky there will be absolutely no strippers." Tommy said firmly, starring all of them down. "I mean it."

"Will do, fearless leader." Adam said, giving him a salute. "Speaking of, I wonder where him and Aisha are. They said they would be here by now."

"They had to stop and get some beer." Jason piped in, walking over to the grill. He turned on the propane and lit the fire, letting it warm up. "They should be coming. Did you guys pull out the meat like I asked?" He asked, looking in my direction.

"Yeah. I'll grab it." Standing, I walked into the house. Trini had put all of the meat on a tray, letting it thaw out faster. I grabbed it from the kitchen counter and carried it out back. I set it on the side of the grill, Jason moving the brush out of the way for me.

"Thanks, Kimmy." He said, grinning.

"Let's get this party started!" Rocky's voice called out as him and Aisha walked around the back of the house. He held up a case of beer in one hand and a bag of ice in the other. Aisha carried a cake pan and a grocery bag, her eyes shooting daggers at Rocky as he did a little dance.

"Must you?" She asked, walking up the steps to the porch. She set the cake pan down on the picnic table and I saw that it was a cake, white frosting covering the top of it with little intricate designs and shapes.

"Wow!" I exclaimed, looking down at it. "Aisha, did you do this?"

"Yeah. I found the baking set my grandmother gave me when we first got our own apartment. I figured I would practice on us before doing the cake for the shower." She answered, a proud expression on her face. She put the bag on the seat next to me, a few bags on chips sticking out from the top.

"It's beautiful." Trini said, turning the cake to see all sides of it. "You have a talent."

"Really?" She asked, tucking a braid behind her ear. "It's always just been something I like to do."

"Tommy?" I called, turning to face him. He was talking to Adam but still sitting next to me. He looked over his shoulder at the sound of his name.

"What's up?" He asked. I pointed at the cake. "Very nice. Did you make it, Aisha?" She nodded.

"I sure did."

"Would you be able to make a wedding cake?" I asked. Tommy smiled, seeing where I was going with this.

"A wedding cake? Like a legit wedding cake for 200 people?" She questioned. I nodded.

"Yeah! Tommy and Kat still need one and I couldn't think of a better person. She has a very simple design she wants, and I can show you the pictures." I grabbed the notebook that was tucked in my bag under the table. Inside, there were magazine pages tucked in between the pages of the notebook. Pulling them out, I set them on the table top and slid them towards her. She glanced down at the cake, a pretty white three-tiered cake with a lace like design. It was beautiful and not too complicated from the look of it. She smiled, nodding.

"I think I could handle that."

"Yeah? That would be fantastic!" I said. Tommy nodded next to me. "That's one thing we can cross of the list then."

"I was looking forward to cake tasting though." He pouted. Aisha giggled, resting a hand on her hip.

"We can still do one! I will bake a bunch of different kinds and you can try them to see which one you like most."

"Can I come?" Rocky asked, walking up behind Aisha. He wrapped his arm around her waist, kissing the top of her head.

"Only if you promise not to be your normal, obnoxious self." She said, playfully glaring up at him.

"Well, I guess I could try that." He replied, pulling her against him.

"That settles that then." I said, taking the pen from my bag and crossing the cake off the list of things to do. Rocky let out a whistle, looking down at the list.

"That is crazy! Kat really wants all those things at the wedding?" He asked. I nodded.

"That's what she asked for and I'm going to do my best to get them all." He stepped closer, sliding the notebook towards him.

"Doves? Live butterflies? No alcohol?!" Rocky exclaimed, shocked by the list written in Kat's handwriting. "Tommy! Have you seen this list?"

"For the most part, Rocko." He replied, leaning over me to look at it. His eyebrows raised though as he read the page. "What does this mean?" He asked, pointing at something. Looking down, I saw his finger was next to the word officiant. She had written the name Pastor John under it along with a phone number.

"That's who she wants to perform the ceremony." I replied. "I have to call him in the morning." Tommy shook his head.

"No. I told her that I wanted my brother to be the officiant." He said flatly. "David already said he would do it. Kat knows that."

"Maybe it was a mistake." I offered. "I will call her in the morning and doublecheck. I'm sure she just forgot to cross this off." I gave him a reassuring smile, but I could tell he didn't agree.

"Yeah. Maybe."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Hi everyone! THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! It makes me smile to see that so many of you are enjoying this. As a thank you, here are two chapters! I am also excited to say that on November 2nd & 3rd, I will be meeting Jason David Frank (Mr. Tommy Oliver!) at the Rhode Island Comic Con! This will be my second time meeting him and I cannot wait. I will tell you all about it in one of the upcoming chapters.

As always, thank you for reading and remember to review too!

Chapter Fourteen

The rest of the night was filled with swimming, spending time with each other, and of course, food and beer. It was nice hanging out with everyone and for the first time since I had been back, I spent the whole time not thinking about the wedding. I think it was easier without Kat there and without the added stress of Tommy being there. Things between us were easier now. The tension was gone, and it was like we had gone back in time to when we were just friends. It felt amazing to be able to have fun with him and the rest of our friends. It was such a relief to feel normal for the first time in a long time. It was almost like I had never left.

The next morning, I rolled out of bed and got ready for the day. Tommy would be meeting me at Caliolo's, the restaurant that Kat wanted to cater the reception. He had some things to do at the race track for his uncle, so he asked if I could meet him there. It wasn't far from the dojo and Jason said he had no issue giving me a ride. I figured I could do some work there before heading over. We rode in his truck into town and I helped him unlock the building and get things ready for his first set of classes. I could tell Jason was trying to avoid talking about something because he kept changing the subject whenever the topic of Tommy came up. He did it again as we were rolling out the matts and finally, I had to ask.

"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him as I rested my hands on my hips. He didn't look at me as he tied the straps that held the matts in place.

"Nothing." He replied.

"Bullshit, Jase. What is it?" He sighed, turning to face me as he stood from the floor.

"Trini told me you spent some time with Tommy yesterday. How was it?" He asked.

"Fine. We went to the country club and then the youth center. You know that." He nodded.

"Yeah. I meant after you left there. Trini said you guys didn't get back to the house until about an hour before we got there. You guys spent an hour at Tommy's place? And then you were alone in your room?" I gaped at Jason, not believing what he was implying.

"Nothing happened." I snapped, glaring at him. "If that is what you are getting at."

"It's not. I know you aren't that type of person and I know Tommy would never do that to Kat. But, do you think it's smart for the two of you to be alone like that? What happens if something gets back to Kat? This could blow up right in your face and I would hate for the group to get split up because of it."

"There is nothing to get back to Kat. Nothing is going on between Tommy and me. We're friends. That's it." I stormed passed him, heading up the stairs.

"Kim-."

"How could you think like that, Jason?" I asked, spinning to face him when I reached the landing. "You are my best friend! How could you even consider that I could be such a cold-hearted person? Yeah, I have feelings for Tommy, but I would never act on them. Especially now that he's getting married. Does it suck? Sure does. But I know damn well to not do anything about that. But for you to think I could fucking do something like that? I guess we aren't as close as I thought."

Grabbing the doorknob, I stomped into the office and slammed the door behind me. Flipping the light on, I glared around the room. It was already slightly messy, adding to the resounding anger that flared in my chest. It was nice to know my best friend thinks I could be a desperate slut. Did he really think I would try to do something with Tommy? What did everyone else think? What if he was right about someone talking to Kat? Would she think I was trying to move in on Tommy with her out of the country? It was annoying to consider that fact that my own friends saw me as some kind of homewrecker. I hadn't done a thing to try to make a move on Tommy. Not in the slightest. The thought hadn't even crossed my mind all that much. Granted, he did hug me in his apartment and hold me, but I was crying. There hadn't been any kind of emotion in the embrace unless you counted my grief. And if they knew Tommy as well as I did, they would know that Tommy would never even think of doing anything behind Kat's back. Though he lied about the reason the country club was out, he was always honest. At least he had been when I was living here.

Throwing my bag on the desk, the wedding notebook fell from it. Rolling my eyes, I scooped it up off the floor and remembered that I told tommy I would call Katherine this morning about the officiant situation. I did some quick math, noting it had to be about 2 pm in London. I had become a pro at learning the time zone differences thanks to my mother being in Paris. Walking around Jason's desk, I sat in the chair and picked up the phone. I dialed Kat's number that she had left me and waited as it rang.

"Hello?" The Australian accent said after four rings.

"Hey, Kat! It's Kimberly." I replied, leaning on my elbows on the desk.

"Oh, hi! How are things going? I was going to call Tommy this afternoon to ask him, but I bet you would know more."

"Everything is going great! We've got the venue, the cake, and we're going to try out caterers this morning and florists this afternoon. How was your flight?" I asked.

"Long. Pretty sure every kid on board had some kind of cold. I'll be glad when everything is over, and we won't be flying back and forth as much anymore." A small silence fell between us. "Is there something you need help with, Kimberly?"

"Actually, yes. I was going over the list of things with Tommy last night and I just had a quick question about who you wanted to perform the ceremony."

"Pastor John." She replied, without taking a second to think. "He's a very nice man and offered to do it for free. He works at the church my sponsor home went to when I first came to Angel Grove."

"Okay but when I talked to Tommy, he said he wanted his brother to do the ceremony." She sighed on her end and I could almost picture her rolling her eyes.

"I know he mentioned it, but I thought he realized how…how…odd that would be." She said, fishing for a word. "All of my family is flying in from Australia and I don't want them to think that our wedding wasn't worth coming for. David is a sweet man, but I just don't think he is the one who should be marrying us."

"It would mean a lot to Tommy, though. He was upset when he saw you had Pastor John written down and-." She cut me off.

"Tommy is just going to have to see reason. I know he doesn't understand it, but this is just the way it's going to be. Can't you find some way to convince him, Kim? I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but this is my wedding."

"It's Tommy's too." I said before I could bite back the word.

"Listen. I know he is trying to help plan this the best he can, but Tommy will come to reason once he sees that I'm right. Having David do our ceremony would come off as trashy and I do not want that. Please call Pastor John and let him know what time to be at the ceremony."

"Kat, I think you might be being a little unfair. This day is important to Tommy too. If he wants his family involved, he should be able to." I could feel the heat rising in my chest and on my cheeks, the blood filling them. "He's doing his best to make sure everything is perfect, and I think he deserves this one thing."

"Absolutely not. Let him pick out the flowers or the center pieces. His brother will not be officiating for us." I heard talking on the other end and she swore. "Sorry, Kim, but I have to get going. I will give you a call later to see how things went with Tommy and Pastor John, okay?"

"But Kat-."

"Just tell him it's this way or no wedding. Bye." The phone clicked, telling me she had hung up.

"What a bitch!" I said, slamming the receiver down. It landed in its cradle, the sound echoing off the walls of the office. Angry tears welled in my eyes and I felt one slip down my cheek.

"That sounded rough." Jason's voice said from the door way. I jumped, surprised to hear him. I wiped my face, turning away from him.

"Yeah." I whispered, doing my best to clear the tears. "I guess the bride gets what the bride wants."

"Well…" He said, walking into the room. He grabbed the other chair and wheeled it over, so he was sitting across from me. "Not necessarily."

"If I don't call Pastor John, she will. Either way, Tommy isn't going to be happy." I leaned back in the chair and ran a hand through my hair. "He's going to be devasted and there's nothing I can do about it."

"You know, I think there might be something we can do about it." He said, rubbing his chin. Leaning forward, he grabbed the phone and the notebook. Flipping it open, he found the number for Pastor John. He dialed it into the phone and put it on speaker. It rang twice before someone answered.

"Good morning! Thank you for calling Unity Community Christian Center. This is Pastor John. How may I help you?" A very cheerful man's voice said on the phone.

"Hello, sir. My name is Jason Scott. I am the owner of the new dojo in town." Jason said.

"Oh, yes! My grandson goes there. How are you, Jason?"

"I'm fine, Pastor John. I just was wondering if I could ask a favor of you. I would be willing to give your grandson a free month of classes for it."

"That is very generous of you. What can I help you with?"

"My parents are looking for some guidance when it comes to their marriage. They've tried professional counseling, but it didn't seem to work. I was hoping you would be willing to sit down and talk to them for a few hours before they decide on divorce or not."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I would love to try and help. Where do they live?" Pastor John asked, sounding concerned. I raised an eyebrow at Jason. What was he doing? His parents were just fine that last I knew.

"San Francisco. I know it's quite the distance but I'm willing to pay for gas and tolls."

"The distance is no problem. If you can just give me your parents address and number, I will contact them to set something up."

"Thank you so much, Pastor John. I appreciate this. Their address is 593 Sycamore Lane, San Francisco. Their number is 415-825-9688. I will let them know that you will be reaching out to them."

"You're very welcome. Take care, Jason." Jason hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair, a smug smile on his face.

"Aren't your parents coming to the wedding?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yup."

"So, you are going to make him drive six hours for nothing?"

"No. I will have my father call him that morning and let him know that they had something come up. But, when you call, he will have to tell you he already has plans." I smiled, shaking my head.

"You just might be a genius, Jason Lee Scott." He shrugged.

"I try to only use my powers for the forces of good. Just don't tell Trini I did that. She would beat me."

"That she would." I took a deep breath and fiddled with a pencil that laid on his desk. "I'm sorry about early, Jason."

"No. I should be apologizing to you. I didn't mean to offend you. I just wanted to make sure that you weren't trying to set yourself up to get hurt. Trini and I are worried about you. Zach too. I know you aren't that kind of person and there's no reason I would think that of you. The same goes for Tommy. Zordon picked you for a reason and no one who served as a Power Ranger would have it in them to hurt someone they love. I am very sorry I upset you."

"So, we're both sorry people then. Welcome to my club." I shot him a wink, standing. He stood too, giving me a friendly hug. He pulled away, resting his hands on his hips.

"You might wanna get going. It's almost eleven."

"Yeah. I just gotta call Pastor John quick. Hopefully he's not busy."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

After I called and was turned down by Pastor John, I left the dojo and walked the three blocks towards Caliolo's Café. It was an Italian eatery in the middle of town, not too far from the park and the youth center. When I was a teenager, it used to be a French restaurant. We went there once for a double date with Zach and his ex-girlfriend Angela. For a moment, I wondered what happened to her. I made a mental note to ask him later as I neared the front door. It was a rustic looking building with green ivy growing on the front of the building. There were two large plate glass windows as well, their name printed in cursive on them. Pulling open the double doors, I entered.

"Hello! Are you here for lunch?" The man at the wooden podium asked as I stepped through the doorway. Inside, I could see people sitting at small tables around the room. Wine racks covered all the walls along with metal pieces of decorations. Each table was set with white table clothes and silver table settings. It was very nice, and I could see why it was busy for being early. The sound of classical music was playing softly over the loud speaker. Soft murmur mixed with the music, creating a peaceful setting. I shook my head, smiling at the man. He was rather tall and very skinny, his bald head reflecting the soft light above us in the entryway.

"No. I'm actually here for a taste testing for your catering services. I believe my friend might be here already."

"Yes! Oliver, correct?" He asked, glancing at the paper in front of him. I nodded. "Follow me. We have you out on the veranda for more privacy. Follow me." He gestured towards the middle of the restaurant and started walking. I followed after him, tucking my bag close to my body so that it wouldn't knock into anything breakable. He led me through the main dining room and passed a bar area where I was handed a glass of complementary wine that went with the tasting. I carried this carefully through a set of French doors and opened up into an outdoor area. There were twenty tables here, chairs tucked in neatly under them. Tall shrubs blocked the view of the street and lights hung above They were off, the sunlight providing enough light. In the middle of the sitting area, I saw Tommy. He was sitting at the table, lost deep in thought.

"Thank you." I said, smiling at the man. He nodded, heading back inside. I walked over to Tommy, stopping next to him. "You okay?" I asked. He jumped, clearly not hearing me approaching. He looked up, surprised. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." I said, sliding into the chair across from him. There was a glass of wine in front of him as well, the glass half empty.

"It's alright. I was just thinking about wedding stuff. How has your morning been so far?" He asked, giving me a smile. It made my heart melt in my chest and I cursed myself out for feeling this way. I shook it off.

"Eh. Kinda rough but it turned around. And you?" He shrugged.

"Had to help my uncle tidy somethings up at the track. He's still pretty pissed but he told me he'd be at the wedding. He'll get over it someday." He took a sip of the wine and leaned back in his seat. As he did, a woman dressed in a light blue skirt suit walked over. She had short red hair that was combed neatly on her head and she smiled brightly when she stopped at the table.

"Hello! My name is Molly. I am the business manager here and I will be helping you with the tasting today. How are the bride and groom today?" She asked.

"Oh, I'm not the bride." I said, a blush filling my cheeks. "Just a bridesmaid helping out."

"Well, how nice of you!" She exclaimed. She turned to Tommy. "You are the groom, though, right?" He nodded, smiling.

"Yes, ma'am. My name is Tommy. This is my friend, Kimberly."

"It's nice to meet the both of you. We have some lovely choices for you to try today. What I like to do is have them bring out the course, let you eat and enjoy it, then we can move on to the next. It'll take about an hour to get through everything and then we can talk about everything. How does that sound?"

"Great." We both said at the same time. She smiled, clasping her hands in front of her.

"Okay! I will have them bring the first course out. It will be a fresh garden salad with various types of greens and vegetables. There will be two choices of dressings, including the house dressing we make each day. It'll be out in just a few moments. Enjoy!" She turned and headed back inside. A few seconds later, a waiter appeared carrying a tray of food. He set a salad down in front of us, leaving a tiny carafe of dressing in the middle of the table. Without a word, he disappeared inside again.

"What is this?" Tommy asked, picking at the salad. There was romaine lettuce and hearts, dandelion greens and some other various plant life on the plate. "Pretty sure this is the stuff my mother makes me pull in my yard."

"It's a salad." I giggled, pouring a small amount of dressing on top of the salad. I took a bite, enjoying the crispness of the leaves. "It's good! Try it."

"This isn't a salad. This is grass clippings." He pouted, pushing the plate away from him. "I'll wait for the next round. Did you get a chance to speak to Kat this morning?" I nodded, swallowing the mouthful of food I had.

"Yes. She stated she wanted Pastor John." He frowned, tossing his fork down on the table in irritation.

"I knew it."

"But!" I interjected. "A little birdy helped me this morning and he is not available for the wedding. Kat isn't going to have a choice now. David will have to do the ceremony." He didn't even pretend to smile. "That's good, isn't it?"

"It is but I just wish she had just agreed to my wishes. I haven't asked for much in this whole wedding thing. She's picking everything else. All I wanted was for my brother to be a part of the ceremony and she is acting like it's a big deal. She's always looked down at David because of his background and it makes me so mad because it's not fair. He's the only brother I have and my soon to be wife thinks he's trash." He ranted, shaking his head.

"I'm sure she doesn't think that, Tommy. She probably doesn't understand. She said she thought he was a nice guy. She just didn't want him to officiate."

"Well, I don't want her to keep making decisions for us without consulting me. She does it all the damn time. She was the one who decided we needed to get engaged because she was moving to London. I was fine with just having this long distance for a few months until I went over there on the circuit. She didn't like that idea though. And then she decided that she wanted you to help plan the wedding without even asking me how I felt about it. Did you know that she didn't even talk to me before agreeing to move to London? Like I wouldn't agree to help her follow her dreams. I totally would but she said we would move there anyway without asking me first. She does this kind of shit all the time and it makes me want to scream."

"Is that what you were fighting about the other night?" I asked, unsure of what to do. We were walking on some thin ice here, him complaining about Kat to me. It was nice to see the relationship wasn't perfect but the small sliver of hope it was giving me didn't help my situation.

"Of course, it was! It's the biggest thing we fight about." He paused for a moment when the waiter returned, replacing our salad plates with Italian wedding soup and breadsticks. Once he was gone though, he continued on. "She never considered my feelings on anything until after it's over. I told her asking you to help with the wedding might be weird for us, but she didn't care. All Katherine cares about it what she wants and how she can get that." I listened as he spoke, talking more about Kat and how much she doesn't listen to him. I had never seen Tommy vocalize something so much in my whole life. Usually, he would talk about his feelings but not at this extent. Anger flushed on his cheeks as he spoke, and he became more animated as he went on. It was hard to believe this was the same strong, well put together boy I had left back then.

"The main course is a sample of our prime rib, chicken parmesan, and haddock in a white wine sauce." The waiter announced, coming back a short time later. He took our barely touched soups and put the new plates down. The food looked amazing and three different vegetables accompanied the small portions of meat. There were steamed green beans, caramelized carrots, and sweet baby corn. I took a bite of the fish as Tommy cut up his prime rib. He took a bite, nodding.

"This is good." He said, finally saying something different. The waiter beamed with pride before heading back inside.

"The fish is amazing." I cut off a piece of the chicken and tried it. It was juicy, and the sauce was the perfect mix of savory and spicy. "The chicken is the best though. These guys have my vote." He nodded, a frown forming on his face. "Tommy, do you want to get married?"

"Huh?" He asked, looking up at me.

"Well, from what you said before, it was mostly Kat's idea. Did you want to get married?" He shrugged his shoulders, thinking.

"Yeah. I guess I did." He replied, nodding. "I mean, I went to my parents' house and dug out the ring my grandfather gave me when I was seventeen. It was my grandmother's engagement ring and she wore it until the day she died. He kept it until I was old enough to ask for it. I brought it home and tried to give it to Kat. She told me she didn't want it because it was old. I couldn't believe she said that. Of course, it was old! They were married for 65 years. It wasn't going to be new. But I had it cleaned a few years ago so I thought it looked better than it did." My mouth hung open in shock.

"She really told you she didn't want it?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yeah. She said she wanted something new and hers. That's why she doesn't have a ring." He pushed his plate away. "Pretty awesome, right?"

"Pretty selfish. I can't believe she did that. She must be out of her mind." I leaned back in my chair, taking a sip of my wine. "Why did you ask for the ring when you were so young?" I asked.

"Oh. Well, I thought I could use it for Christmas that year." He said, averting his eyes from me. It took a moment for me to realize what he was saying.

"You got it for me?" I whispered.

"Uh…yeah. I suppose. I was planning on coming down to Florida to surprise you for Christmas. I was going to give it to you then. But…well…you know." I couldn't do anything but stare at Tommy in shock. He was going to propose to me when we were together? I had no clue. He never gave any hint of that being on his mind. We had talked about it when we were alone together, but I used to think it was just teens in love kind of thing. I never thought he would be that serious about it.

"Well, I guess Kat and I have something in common then. We're stupid." I said, giving him a small smile. "And I think that it's such a sweet gesture on your part to want to give that to her. She's crazy to not accept it. But I think you really need to think about this, Tommy. If Kat is like this now, she isn't going to just change once you're married. I would hate to see you get married and be miserable for the rest of your marriage because of the issues you have now. You two need to talk about what's going on between you and fix it before the wedding."

"Maybe we shouldn't be getting married." He said softly, his shoulders slumping. "She's a nice girl and I like her a lot, but I just don't know if we have what it takes."

"I think you two fit together nicely." I said, not believing the words that were coming out of my mouth. This was the perfect chance for me to tell him how I felt. To try and get him to see that I was the one he should be. I couldn't bring myself to do it though. It wasn't right. Not when he was so confused about Kat and the everything. I needed to be the supportive friend. That's what he needed. "You two can make it work. I think the added stress of the wedding, her being gone, and moving is just getting between you. Things will work out once you're back to living together again."

"You think?" He asked, sounding uncertain.

"I do. You'll make a fine husband, Tommy Oliver. She's a lucky girl."


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Hi everyone! THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! As always, thank you for reading and remember to review too!

Chapter Sixteen

The tasting finished with some apple pie and chocolate cake, something that they provide in their packages for guests who didn't want the wedding cake. We went over everything with Molly and picked out a good menu for the reception. Tommy paid the deposit and said he would be in to pay off the rest in a few days. Walking out, the air around him felt less depressing and there was a smile on his face. It was infectious because I found it on mine as well as we walked towards his truck parked outside. "Wanna walk?" He asked. "The florist is right on the other side of the park. We can make it on time."

"Sure." I set my bag on my shoulder and we crossed the street, entering the pathway of the Angel Grove park. It was full, families enjoying the nice summer day. Kids were flying kites and others were riding bikes. Smaller kids were on the playground, their mothers watching from the benches on the side. It was nice seeing a place where I had faced alien henchmen or putties, being used for good.

"So, tell me about your life." Tommy said, smiling down at me as we walked. I scoffed, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I think you know the key points. I'm freeloading at Jason and Trini's and that's about it." He laughed, shaking his head

"No. Tell me about Florida. What did you do down there? I didn't get to ask you much about the games and everything."

"Not much to tell. I didn't compete. I broke my ankle the day we were supposed to leave for the Olympics. My teammate took my place. I quit after that and moved in with my aunt until she passed away." I explained. "My life in a nutshell."

"I'm sorry about your aunt. And your ankle. And everything else." He said. "Were you guys close?" I shrugged.

"She took me in when I didn't want to move to Paris with my mother. I didn't want to leave the states because I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life yet." Sighing, I gazed out towards the direction of the pond. The last time I had been there, I was telling Tommy I was leaving. The thought made my chest hurt. If I had stayed, we would be married. He was going to propose to me that year. And I managed to fuck everything up.

"Kim? You okay?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. I just don't like to talk about Florida that much. It's in the past. I like to look forward to the future."

"Alright then. What's in the future for you then? What do you think you're going to do after the wedding? Besides visit us once you're settled in." He asked, winking at me. I smiled, loving his attention.

"I'm not sure. I know Jason needs the help at the dojo, but I am really hoping to find some kind of actual work around here. I might see what is available at the gymnastics center here. I know they've been through a few owners since I left but it wouldn't hurt to at least try. I'm not supposed to do any real moves with my ankle, but I can teach them at least."

"No?" He asked, looking confused. I forgot that he wasn't aware of my whole story. Thankfully, we had reached the other side of the park and I could see the florist.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you about some other time." I said quickly. We crossed the street and walked inside the small shop, flowers decorating the front walkway and the sills. It was a cute little shop, large vases of beautiful arrangements placed around the little store front. There was a white counter in the middle of the room with a large cooler behind it. There was also a door leading to a back room and an older woman walked out when she heard the bell above the door.

"Hello! Welcome to Donna's! I'm Donna." She said, smiling at us. She had short grey hair, pulled back with a clip on the back of her head. She wore an orange floral dress with a green apron on over it.

"Hi. My name is Kimberly, and this is my friend, Tommy. We were hoping you might be able to help us with his wedding." I said, stepping towards her.

"Oh, well congratulations!" She exclaimed. "When is the big day? I have availability for the fall still."

"That's the problem." I replied, grimacing. "The wedding is next Saturday." She gaped, looking at us in disbelief.

"Next Saturday? Like in nine days?" Tommy nodded.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Okay." She let out a long whistle. "Well, let's see what we can do. Who is the bride?"

"Her name is Katherine. She's currently in London. That's the reason they are rushing. They are moving there the day after the wedding." I explained. "But, she asked me to help plan it and I have all her ideas with me." I pulled out the wedding notebook and flipped to the pages where she had the magazine clippings of flowers. I set it on the counter so that Donna could see it. Bending over, she slid her glasses down from the top of her head. She let out a clucking noise with her mouth and shook her head.

"Unfortunately, all of these flowers are out of season. It would take longer than you've got to get them. What color scheme do you have?" Donna asked, looking at Tommy. "I see she likes pink."

"That's about it." He replied. "I'd like some white, but she really wants pink." Standing up, she thought for a moment.

"What I can offer are carnations and roses. That's the easiest to get in short notice. I can dye the carnations here myself and can get the roses at the market. What were you looking for? Just bridal party flowers or center pieces as well?" I flipped through the notebook to where I knew the centerpiece examples were. Opening the pages, I didn't see any flowers.

"I believe just the bridal party and then the parents of the bride and groom." I replied, closing the book.

"Let me write this down." She grabbed some paper from under the counter and a pencil. She scribbled down the wedding date. "How many groomsmen?"

"Including myself, there's six of us." Tommy said, quickly counting the guys.

"And girls?"

"There's the bride and then four bridesmaids." I responded. She wrote this all down, keeping track of the numbers in a small chart.

"How about this; we will give the groomsmen and the parents pink rose boutonnieres and the groom a white one. The bridesmaids will have a combination of white and pink carnation bouquets and the bride will have all pink roses." She said, glancing up at us. I nodded.

"Perfect!" I exclaimed, smiling. "She will love that. Thank you so much!"

"You are welcome! I just need half down for the deposit though. Is that alright?" I glanced at Tommy who nodded, reaching for his wallet. I took a step back while they discussed the price. I saw him hand over a credit card and she wrote down the information for it. Thanking her, he turned to me.

"Ready?" He asked. I nodded. Stepping in front of me, he held the door open, so I could leave. He walked out after me, laughing. "I think that was the easiest thing we have done so far."

"I think you're right." I pulled a pen from my purse and opened the book open to the to-do list. I crossed out flowers and officiant. There were only five things left; a DJ, tuxes, beautician, centerpieces and decorations. Letting out a puff of air, I felt a bit more relieved about this wedding planning stuff. The hardest part was going to be the DJ and the tuxes. Finding someone to DJ at such short notice was going to be quite the task. And if the guys couldn't find tuxes they would be able to rent, they would be left having to buy suits somewhere. The other pieces of the puzzle weren't as bad, and I felt confident that it would be settled before next Saturday. Or at least I hoped so. "I'm gonna head back to the dojo. Wanna join me?"

"Sure." We walked back through the park and to his truck. It was a short drive to the dojo, one filled with light conversation about nothing in particular. I could tell that Jason was in the middle of a class when we pulled up. The rows of kids in white uniforms could be seen through the window as I climbed down from the cab of the truck. Walking in, I waved at Jason who smiled in our direction. I nodded for Tommy to follow me upstairs to the office. He did, watching the kids as we passed. I saw he hesitated at the top of the stairs, looking down at the class in session. He frowned, tucking his hands in his back pockets.

"What's wrong, Tommy?" I asked, putting my hand on the door handle.

"Just makes me think of the dojo plans I had in mind. It's great Jason got this place up and running. Kinda makes me jealous sometimes." He shook the frown and painted a smile on his face as he turned to face me. I opened the door and walked in, closing it behind him as he entered. Setting my bag on the desk, I sat in the computer chair and looked over at him.

"You could still open a dojo at some point. There's no one saying you can't." I pointed out, leaning back in the chair. He shrugged, sitting on the corner of the desk.

"I know but there's a lot that goes into it and I won't be around here to make any of that come true. Maybe it's something I'll do when I'm older but for now, I need to focus on racing." It was odd to see Tommy refer to his martial arts as something not as important to him as something else. It was something he was very passionate about when he was younger. He practiced for hours a day and enjoyed spending his time doing so. It was his way of relaxing and finding peace within himself. His skills were impressive and was the most experienced fighter on our team. Jason had said something about him not being as involved in it as he was before. Was he really that much into racing?

"I know whatever you set your mind to, you'll do great." I said, running my fingers over the arms of the chair. "You've always been good at everything you've done. I'm sure that will be the same as with anything you want to do."

"You do?" He asked, grinning. "That's a lot of blind faith you have in me. I appreciate it though."

"I don't think it's blind. I've known you forever, Tommy. And I mean, you've got some plan at least." I let out a puff of air, blowing my bangs out of my face.

"Hey, guys." Rocky said, walking in the door of the office. He was wearing a sweat soaked t-shirt and a pair of gym shorts, telling me there had been a client for the MMA ring.

"Hi, Rocko. I take it Vick was here today?" Tommy asked. Rocky nodded, walking over to the water cooler in the corner of the room.

"Yeah. He's getting good! Pinned me twice. He has a sponsor coming to see him towards the end of the month. He was hoping you would be here for it, but I told him that you were going to be gone by then."

"Really? That's great. I wish I could be there but he's going to do well." Tommy turned to me. "Vick was a student of mine when we were kids. When he turned 18, he asked me for some more advanced training. He really got into the Mixed Martial Arts scene and I helped him learn as much as I could without an actual set up. When Jason and Rocky got the ring, I referred him here because I knew he would learn more that way." He explained.

"Tommy was still teaching him up until about a month ago." Rocky said, pouring himself some water in the paper cups hanging from the side of the jug. He drained in with two gulps, bending over to refill it. "I feel guilty for taking credit as his coach. It's because of Tommy that he's made it this far. I'm pretty sure he'll get signed too. The MMA circuit is getting big in the states now and it's huge in Japan. That kid is going places."

"That he is. And you should be his coach, Rocky. You've taught him stuff I didn't know and he's doing great because of you." Tommy stood up straight, glancing at his wrist watch. "I should probably take off. I've got some packing to do and need to figure out where in my apartment I'm going to fit Billy once he gets in tomorrow. Kim, you need a ride home?" He asked.

"Jason can take her." Rocky volunteered before I could even answer. "He's heading home after his class is done anyway."

"Oh." Tommy replied, the corners of his smile fading slightly. "Well, I guess I will see you tomorrow when I bring Billy over."

"Alright." I said, standing up. I was unsure if I should move to hug him or not as a way to say good-bye. I could tell he felt the same way, a hesitant moment between the two of us. He settled with a wave at me then Rocky before walking out the door. Once it was closed, I shot a glare at Rocky who looked confused.

"What?" He asked. "I figured that it would save Tommy a trip from having to take you home."

"It's nothing." I said, sitting back down at the desk. Jason walked through the door a few moments later, looking surprised to see me sitting there. There was a towel wrapped around his neck, sweat on his forehead.

"What are you still doing here? I thought I just saw Tommy leave." He asked, grabbing some water.

"Someone told him I would get a ride with you." I replied. Jason snorted, glancing over at Rocky who looked even more confused.

"What?! I thought it made more sense!" He defended. Crossing his arms over his chest, he thought for a moment. Suddenly, his eyebrows raised, and his eyes opened widely. "Wait…" He said, pointing towards me. "Did you want to go with him because you want to spend time with him?" He asked. Rolling his eyes, Jason tossed his cup away.

"You sure are the bright one, Rocko."


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Hi everyone! THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! As always, thank you for reading and remember to review too!

Chapter Seventeen

The following morning, I woke up around ten to find that Trini was still home. It was Saturday, which meant that her school and labs were closed for the weekend. Jason was off to the dojo and it was just going to be us girls until later this afternoon. I was thrilled to spend the day with my best friend. We hadn't done so since I returned, her being very busy with her work study and classes. I quickly showered and changed, deciding on a pair of jean shorts and a light green long tank top. Bounding down the stairs, I found her sitting at the dining room table with a cup of coffee in her hand. The wedding notebook was open in front of her and she flipped through the pages, pausing to look at something. She glanced up when I entered the room, smiling.

"Morning. I see your list has gotten quite smaller since the last time I saw it." She said as I passed her, heading to the coffee pot. I nodded, grabbing a coffee cup from the cupboard and pouring some of the brew into it.

"Yeah. We managed the florists, the caterer and the venue. Those were the biggest concerns. Monday, we have meetings with some of the DJs in town to see which one can do it. I have to talk to the guys to see when they are all available to go tux shopping. That should be fun." I replied, sitting across from her. She rolled her eyes, flipping to the next page.

"Oh, I'm sure it will be. All six of them together trying to do something that doesn't involve a monster? That's a recipe for disaster. I see why Kat didn't think Tommy could handle this without you. Speaking of which, Aisha is coming over this morning. She wants helping planning the bridal shower for Friday afternoon."

"Great! We can make a girls day out of today." I smiled, sipping my coffee.

"That's what I was thinking. I gotta say, Kim, you are handling this so much better than I thought you would be. Even Jason said that you seemed to be in a great mood yesterday after going with Tommy to pick stuff out. Maybe you were right. Maybe this was just what you needed to help you get over him." I shrugged, knowing it was utter bullshit.

"Maybe. Can I tell you something?" I asked, setting my cup down.

"Of course."

"Yesterday, Tommy was telling me about why Katherine wouldn't wear the engagement ring he had. Did he tell Jason why?" She shook her head.

"Not that I'm aware of. I know Kat said that there wasn't time to get one. Did he actually have one?" I nodded.

"Yeah. He had his grandmother's engagement ring. His grandfather gave it to him our senior year because he asked him for it."

"He asked for it? But he was so young. Was it just because he wanted something of hers?" She asked. I shook my head.

"No. He was going to propose to me on Christmas break that year." I whispered. She gasped, covering her mouth.

"He was?!" She asked. "Kim, that's…wow. He told you that? You guys talked about what happened when you moved to Florida?"

"No. He just got into the story of how Kat didn't want the ring because it wasn't new and wouldn't be just hers. He was so angry about it. Then he went on about how he's had it since we were teenagers because he thought he was going to use it to give to me. I don't think he was planning to tell me about it but slipped out." She sighed, sipping her coffee.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"I guess so. I mean, it's shitty to think that I broke it off with him just months before that. We would have been engaged. Hell, I could be married with kids by now. But I fucked that all up because I'm stupid." Reaching over, she set a hand on mine.

"You're not stupid. You were a kid. Who knows that they want to be in a long-term relationship like that at that age? I know I didn't. Jason and I didn't even realize our feelings until we were eighteen ourselves. You can't keep beating yourself up for it. If Tommy really wanted to, he could have gone to Florida to try and win you back. Or at least called you to get some answers. He didn't though. Granted, you broke up with him but the distance between the two of you if just as much his fault as it is yours. You gotta stop thinking like that. It's not fair to you."

"I'm the one who ended it though. All because I let some gossip and some stupid guy I barely know get into my head. I'm just glad he hasn't asked me about it. I think he tiptoed around it yesterday, but I didn't answer it. Maybe I can get through this whole wedding ordeal without that coming up."

"Maybe."

The doorbell rang, telling us that Aisha had arrived. We spent the next few hours playing out food, drinks and games for the bridal shower. It wasn't going to be a huge thing, just the bridal party and her mother and aunt. They would be arriving to town the same day Kat was coming back from London. When they came on Thursday, there was going to be a big dinner at the restaurant that Tommy and I tasted from. This was so that her parents could meet everyone. This left me with four days to plan the rest of the details that Kat asked for and it made me nervous. I had promised to do this for her and I didn't want to let her down. This was also a way for me to give back to Tommy, almost like an apology for what I had done to him.

"Did you get your dress yet?" Aisha asked, turning to face me. We were sitting on the back porch now, a tray of cookie and a pitcher of lemonade on the table in front of us. I shook my head, leaning on my elbows.

"No. I haven't gotten around to it yet. I'll probably look when the guys go. Which, by the way, what day is the best for Rocky and Jason?" I asked.

"Probably Tuesday in the morning." Aisha replied. "Rocky doesn't have classes until the afternoon."

"Same with Jason. IT's usually the day he does individual sessions. He could always cancel if he has one."

"Okay. I'll check with the rest of them to see what day works best for them. Do you all have your dresses?"

"Sure do!" Aisha grinned. "Tanya, Trini and I went a few weekends ago and got ours."

"Let me guess; all in yellow." I mused. She nodded. "I'm gonna be the odd one out in the pink dress."

"Well, you were the pink ranger." Trini replied. "The first one too."

"Just think of it as being unique." Aisha offered. I chuckled, shaking my head. I had figured I was going to be the only one not in a yellow dress. Trini, Aisha and Tanya had all been yellow rangers. I had served with two of them, both becoming my sisters while on the team. I am pretty sure that neither I or the boys would have survived if there hadn't been another girl on the team. There was enough testosterone to begin with. Add teenage hormones and pissing contests, you'll get everything that will drive a woman to kill a man. There was still a lack in the girl department though, seeing as there were more boys in the bridal party than there were girls. It was a common thing on teams, something that still occurs today. We were still a good set of teams. The guys never treated us any differently because we were girls. Well, except for maybe Tommy. When we started dating, he was more protective of me than he had been before. That was expected though.

"Have you seen Kat's dress?" I asked. "What does it look like?"

"I saw it." Aisha replied, taking a cookie. "It's big, puffy and everything a rich white girl would want in a dress." I snorted.

"That bad?"

"Don't get me wrong. It's very beautiful and it fits her. I just don't think that it's something I would pick. Her and her mother insisted on it though. And her father paid a pretty penny for it too." Trini nodded.

"Yeah. Pretty sure he paid almost $5,000 for it." She said. I gaped at her, my mouth hanging open.

"$5,000? For a dress? I wouldn't pay that much for a car! That's crazy!"

"You got that right. For that price, I would wear it every day for the next year." Aisha laughed. "But I mean, it's her day. She can have any dress she wants. I'm just glad she let us pick what dresses we wanted. Some brides are horrible when it comes to that. I think next Saturday is going to be fun. Kudos to you, by the way. You are hanging in like a champ! I don't know how you do it."

"Trini keeps a lot of wine in the house." I joked, grinning at Trini who nodded.

"That I do." The sound of a door opening made us turn. Adam and Zach walked out the back door, each carrying grocery bags.

"Hey, ladies!" Zach smiled, leaning in to hug each of us. "We rang the doorbell, but no one answered. I figured you were back here."

"Yeah. We're planning out the Bridal Shower. You guys are early." Trini replied, standing to take the bags from them.

"Zach took me to meet a couple of people he knew from LA. We just got back and figured we should just come here to see if you needed any help." Adam replied.

"Actually, if you guys could clean the pool and empty out the firepit, I would appreciate it." Trini asked, smiling at the pair of black rangers. Both nodded, turning for the deck stairs. "Thanks! Just put the ash in the garbage and the pool vacuum should be on the side of the garage."

"Not even our old lady and we are taking orders." Zach joked. "No wonder Jason hides at the dojo all day." He winked at Trini before disappearing behind the garage. She set the bags on the table and sat down.

"Those two. So, what are we doing for a bachelorette party?" She asked. "The boys are going out and then coming back here. We should do something to."

"Well, about that." Aisha said, grimacing. "Kat said she wants to have a tea party for a bachelorette party."

"A tea party?" I asked. "What are we? Five?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. She just said she wanted a small get together with her friends…and no booze."

"What?" Trini and I both questioned at the same time. Aisha nodded.

"I know. It's crazy. But her mother doesn't approve of drinking at social events and she doesn't want it at the bachelorette party. I tried to swing her, but she wouldn't budge."

"I'm never gonna survive that." I muttered, resting my shin on my palm. Trini nodded.

"I know. Her mother can be evil, I heard. Tommy has told us some horror stories about her. I guess she could give Rita a run for her money."

"Oh c'mon, Aisha!" I exclaimed. "Not even a mimosa? What about a spiked iced tea? We don't even have to tell her!"

"True." She said, thinking. "I'll try her again. If not, we'll have to hide it somewhere, but it'll happen. And we can stay at my house for the night. The shower is going to be there anyway. We can just have it roll over into it. I know her mother will be going back to the hotel for the night, but Kat and Tanya will be staying with me. You girls are more the welcome to stay as well."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Trini glanced at me and I nodded.

"I'm up for it."

"Should we get her a present?" Trini asked, brushing her long black hair over her shoulder. "I know it's short notice and all, but I think it's a rule, right?"

"Yeah, I think so." Both turned to look at me.

"What? I think it's a good idea! What do you think she'd like? I mean her, and Tommy will have a new place in London. Something for their apartment maybe?" I suggested.

"Okay. What about something for the kitchen? When my parents go to weddings, they always buy some kind of appliance. Think they need a toaster?" Aisha asked. I shook my head.

"No. Tommy has one already. What about something personalized just for them? Like coffee cups or something."

"We could get them a cutting board with their names on it." Trini said. "There's a little shop near campus that does them. I always see it when I walk by on my lunch break. I could stop in to see how much it would be and if they could do it in time."

"That'd be perfect. She would love that. And Tommy could use it as well. Great idea, Trini." Smiling, Aisha glanced over at the boys. Adam was skimming the pool while Zach attached the hose to the vacuum. "Pretty sure the boys got Tommy a stripper."

"What?" Trini gasped, covering her mouth. "Kat will skin them all alive. She was very strict on that idea. You know her. She just might call the whole thing off if she finds out."

"Really? She's that against it?" I asked. The both nodded.

"Uh huh. I feel like that's why Rocky did it. Especially after everything that happened between the two of them. I told him to drop it, but he did it anyway. One last way to stick it to Kat I suppose." Aisha sighed, twirling one of her braids round her finger.

"Rocky and Kat don't get along?" I questioned, confused. I hadn't noticed anything between them before. Of course, they hadn't had any contact since I've been home that I witnessed.

"Yeah." Trini replied. "Right after Jason started to try and open up the dojo. He asked Rocky and Tommy to do it with him. Adam was already certain he wanted to do stuff with his band and Zach was living in New York. Rocky jumped right on board and so did Tommy. But when Kat found out, she flipped. She told Tommy that she would never let him be a part of something like that when they knew it would probably fail. They almost broke up because of it."

"And then Rocky went to talk to Kat about it and she told him she thought him and Jason were stupid to open up a business when they had no experience at it. She was very nasty about it. It made things really tense in the group for a while. She didn't talk to Rocky or Jason and Tommy barely came around because of it. When he did, he didn't tell her about it." Aisha chimed in.

"Tommy gave Jason his plans he had for a dojo and then some starting money. We told him he didn't have to, but he felt bad for what happened. Since then, her and Rocky aren't exactly friends."

"That's crazy! I can't believe she would be like that." I said, shaking my head.

"Well…there's a lot about Kat and Tommy you don't know." Aisha said, standing up from the table and walking inside.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

My mind was left wondering about Aisha was talking about when Jason and Rocky showed up. They helped Zach empty out the fire pit and clean up the rest of the pool area so that they could set up a long table by the fence for food. Trini and I made potato salad and tossed salad, putting it in the fridge while Jason turned on the grill. Apparently, Adam and Zach had brought ribs and chicken earlier because they were coating the meat in BBQ on the back patio when I came out with a tray of devilled eggs Aisha had made. Rocky had brought them with him when he went for a beer and ice run. He was currently smashing ice on the sidewalk next to the pool to put in the cooler. I watched him as he dumped the bags in, wondering if he would like to tell me about what Aisha had touched on. What didn't I know about Kat and Tommy? He had been pretty open about their relationship before at the restaurant. Did he leave something out? Was I missing something huge? I racked my brain for any signs of something, but I couldn't pinpoint a thing. And why the hell was Trini and Jason not telling me something, _again_?

Heading inside, I went up to my room to put my bathing suit on under my clothes. I could smell the aroma of the food cooking as it drifted into my bedroom window. Once my bikini was on, I tossed my shorts and tank top back on before making my way down the stairs again. I heard the sound of a vehicle pulling in the driveway and I saw it was Tommy's truck from the window. Smiling, I stepped out onto the back door again. The sound of car doors slamming followed and soon, Tommy walked around the corner of the house with a water melon on his shoulder. Behind him, Billy Cranston followed.

"Billy!" I exclaimed, hopping off the steps towards him. The blonde haired, hazeled eye man smiled at me as I engulfed him in a tight hug. He looked no different than he had since the last time I saw him, looking almost as if he hadn't aged a day. He hugged my back, laughing at my reaction to seeing him. Billy is one of my oldest friends. I met him around the same time as Jason. He was this geeky little kid who needed a friend. He grew up to be the most brilliant member of the Power Rangers and one of my closest friends. There were countless times when I was here in Angel Grove where Billy was the only one I could talk to about things. There were things about me that no one but Billy knew. It was the same about him. I was the only one who knew he was in love with Trini our entire time in school. He had done his best to keep it a secret, but I could tell. He finally admitted to it but never had the nerve to act on it. I wondered if he still felt that way as he released me.

"Hello, Kimberly. It's nice to see you." He said, smiling. His glasses were gone, and I could see faint lines on the edge of his eyes, the beginning of crow's feet. I guess age did set in a little bit.

"You look amazing! How are you?" I asked.

"Delightful. And yourself? I am still quite amazed to see you entertaining us with your company again. Shall we talk later about your time living in Florida?" He asked. I nodded, grateful he didn't ask me here and now.

"Sure." He moved passed me to greet everyone else. He gave Rocky and Adam hugs, complimenting them on their hair. Zach hugged him as well, the two smiling at each other. They had been close while we served, spending time together trying to train Billy in martial arts and Zach on the workings of the Zords. Aisha hugged him next, leaving Jason and Trini. Jason gave him a manly clap on the back and then a hug, telling him he missed his brains. He asked him to check out the dojo while he was in town. Billy nodded before turning to Trini. She smiled at him widely before giving him a tight hug. She kissed his cheek before pulling away.

"I've missed you." She said, Billy's cheeks burning slightly. I suddenly had my answer from before. It was very clear from the way his eyes lit up when she talked to him. Billy was still head over heels in love with her.

"Hey." Tommy said, drawing my attention behind me. Turning, I smiled up at him.

"Hey. How are you?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Can't complain. Nice shirt by the way." He said, nodding towards me. I looked down at my tank top, noticing it was green. "I think you might pull that color off better than me."

"I tend to stick to pink." I remarked, smirking at him. "Besides, green was always your best color in my opinion."

"Yeah?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Don't get me wrong; white was good, but green was just more you."

"Well, don't let Adam hear you say that. He was the green ranger when we were Zeo and Turbo. He gets a little touchy about who was better. How'd you sleep?"

"Fine. You?"

"Didn't get much. I was up packing the apartment. You don't realize how much stuff you have until you have to pack it all."

"I know. When I was getting ready to come back here, I was amazed to see what crap I had accumulated since moving to Florida. If you need any help, just let me know. I'm always looking for something to do."

"I think I might just take you up on that offer. I'm free tonight if you wanna come over. Billy is going to his Dad's for a bit." I nodded.

"Sure."

"Hey, Kim?" Trini called, making me turn to face her. "Wanna help me in the kitchen with everything?"

"Sure, Trini." I turned back to him. "Duty calls. I'll talk to you in a little bit."

"Okay."

I helped Trini carry out the salads and other cold things we had made, putting them on the tables by the pool. Jason and Rocky piled meat on a tray and set that on the table as well. Paper plates were stacked next to the food as well as napkins and plastic utensils. Once everything was ready, we lined up to make our plates. Aisha and Rocky were playfully fighting about something as they made their plates, causing Zach and I to laugh as we stood behind them. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tommy standing by the edge of the pool. Now and then, he would look over at me but would turn away when we made eye contact. It made me smile to myself where he couldn't see but I did my best to try and control it. With a full plate, I went over and sat in a lawn chair on the right side of the pool. Soon, we were all sitting around the edge of the pool eating.

"So, Billy, how long are you back for?" Zach asked, cutting up a piece of chicken.

"Until next Sunday, unfortunately. There were sparse amounts of ingredients necessary for the elixir. I was only allotted that amount of time." He replied. I raised my eyebrow, looking at him.

"Elixir for what?" I asked.

"Oh. No one explained my condition to you?" He seemed surprised, casting a glance over at Tommy.

"No. Are you sick or something, Billy?" A pang of fear hit me in the chest at the thought of Billy being in danger. He shook his head.

"There was a complication after one of the altercations with the Machine Empire. It caused me to age rapidly. The only solution was to travel to Aquitar. Their knowledge of medicine is far more advanced than that of Earth. They were able to find a solution to temporarily fix my ailment here on Earth, but it does not affect me on Aquitar. That is why I reside there now."

"So, if you don't return there, you'll just become old really quickly?" I questioned. He nodded.

"Until I expire."

"Oh, Billy. That's awful." I said softly. "What do you do there?"

"I work on their technology. I assist them with a number of technical institutions to further advance their knowledge and capabilities." He replied.

"Plus, he has Cestria." Jason said, taking a bite from a piece of chicken. Billy nodded but I noticed that a slight frown crossed his lips for a moment. It was quick and gone by the time he looked up, but it had been there regardless. His eyes met mine when he looked up.

"Affirmative. She's my wife."

"I'm so happy for you, Billy." I said, smiling at him.

"Thank you. I am glad to be home for a visit." He looked down again, signifying he didn't want to discuss him anymore. I took the hint, turning my attention to Trini and Jason.

"So! Are you guys next to tie the knot?" I asked. Jason choked on the chicken he was chewing on and Trini's eyes bulged a bit. The others laughed at their reactions while Jason wiped his mouth.

"Well...uh...I mean…" He stammered, doing his best to not look at Trini who was staring holes into him. "Someday, I guess."

"Romantic." Aisha said, smirking at me. I laughed, shaking my head.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to put you guys on the spot. You've been together for so long. You would think you would have some plans." Trini nodded.

"We've talked about it. Maybe after I finish school. We both agreed our careers would come first." She smiled at Jason, patting his knee. "No rush."

"Someday." He repeated, squeezing her hand.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

After eating, we spent some time in the pool. The boys took turns doing dives and cannon balls into the water while Aisha, Trini and I sat on the edge. The sun was still very warm, it beginning to set towards the west. It was going to be a nice, July night. I could feel it in the hot breeze. Rocky let out a loud cry as he tackled Tommy into the pool from the right side. Aisha rolled her eyes, tossing her braids over her shoulder. The dark yellow bikini she wore tied behind her neck and on the sides of her hips, making her chocolate colored skin look gold in the sun. "They are such children, sometimes." She said.

"Tell me about it." Trini muttered, nodding over at Jason who was shooting Zach with a water gun. I let out a giggle, shrugging my shoulders.

"It's like I never left." Rocky broke the surface of the water by the diving board. He looked around, confused.

"Where the hell did he go?" He asked, turning to face us.

"Oh, I think he's about to turn up." Aisha replied. I raised an eyebrow at her, opening my mouth to say something. I was cut off though by Tommy popping out of the water next to me. His cool wet arms scooped me up under the knees and my lower back before sinking back into the water. I let out a shriek before being dunked under. He held me tightly, pulling me against my chest. The water wasn't cold, but it was quite the shock after sitting next to the water for so long. I felt him shift and then kick off the bottom of the pool, sending us up again. When we broke the surface, I swatted him with my hand in the chest.

"Real mature, Tommy." I said, wiping the water from my eyes. He let out a loud laugh, shifting to go under again.

"No!" I squealed, wrapping my arms around his neck as a knee jerk reaction. He laughed again, the sound vibrating his chest under my arms. I glared up at him, not finding his joke that amusing.

"What? You looked awfully warm over there. I thought I would be a nice friend and help you out."

"Oh, don't do me any favors." I smirked. My eyes drifted over to Trini and Aisha who were both looking at us in a state of awe. My arms were still wrapped around his neck tightly and his were cradling me against his body. I could feel my cheeks flush a bright pink as I let go of him. He set me down so my feet were touching the bottom of the pool. Shooting me a wink, he turned and swam towards the other boys. I wadded towards Trini and Aisha, resting my arms on the concrete next to them.

"What the hell was that?" Trini asked, leaning in lower so only I could hear her. Aisha shifted, laying on her stomach so she could hear as well.

"What?" I asked, shrugging my shoulders. "He was being friendly."

"If Rocky was ever that friendly with his ex-girlfriend, I would break his arms." Aisha retorted. Trini nodded.

"My thoughts exactly. You two might want to cool it down. I don't know what you are trying to do, Kim, but that's not the way to go about it."

"I'm not trying to do anything!" I said, anger flaring in my chest.

"I don't think you are. I just think that maybe you two shouldn't be this chummy a week before his wedding." Rolling my eyes, I pulled myself out of the pool. Scooping up my towel, I wrapped it around myself.

"Do you and Jason just lay awake at night, practicing lectures to give me?" I muttered. "Because he gave me the same one the other day. I can't help the way Tommy acts towards me. And forgive me for acting like this. It's the only thing I can do to keep myself from wanting to jump off a building some days. This isn't easy for me. I know I volunteered and everything, but I am doing my best to make this as comfortable for everyone as I can."

"We know, Kim." Aisha said, standing. She wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me against her. Trini stood as well, nodding.

"We're just afraid you're gonna get your hopes up for nothing." Trini said softly, taking my hand in hers. I frowned. "I don't want you to think that because he's acting like this, something might cause him to change his mind before the wedding."

"I know." I whispered. Glancing over at Tommy, I saw he was toweling off on the other side of the pool. His was in deep conversation with Jason and Billy. When his eyes caught mine, he smiled. "A girl can only dream, I suppose."

"Hey, Trini!" Jason called over, waving at us. She looked up.

"What?" She replied.

"Beach day tomorrow? The guys are all game. What about you three lovely ladies?" He asked. Trini turned to us. I shrugged.

"I'm free." I replied. Aisha nodded as well.

"Sound good to me." She said. Trini faced Jason again.

"Okay!" She called back. Jason grinned, giving her a quick thumbs up. He said something to Billy and Tommy. The three turned and headed towards us. Jason wrapped an arm around Trini's waist, kissing the top of her head.

"How does a movie sound?" He asked, gazing down at her.

"Good. Kim, you in?" She asked, looking at me.

"She's coming to my place." Tommy said, drying his hair off. Jason nodded.

"She's going to use those mazing organization skills to kick his ass into finish packing. So, I am taking you on a date." He said, nuzzling Trini's ear with his nose. She giggled, swatting his chest.

"Okay then. Aisha, do you and Rocky want to come? We could make it a double date." She asked, smiling at Aisha who gazed behind her at Rocky who was talking to Adam.

"Not tonight. I think the two of them have something going on. Plus, I have to start practicing making a wedding cake and they promised to taste test for me."

"Cake?" Zach asked, coming up behind the boys. Aisha nodded.

"Yeah. I'm doing a trial run for the wedding cake. Want to come help me?" She asked. He nodded.

"I'm always down for some good cake. You coming too, Kimmy?" Zach asked. I shook my head.

"I'm helping Tommy pack." I replied. From the corner of my eye, I saw Tommy shoot Zach the tiniest of glares I had ever seen. I was almost sure I hadn't seen it except for the fact his eyes narrowed. Zach shrugged, turning back to Aisha.

"More cake for me then! Let me change and I'll help these guys clean up before we go." He brushed by me to head inside. Tommy grabbed my elbow gently, gaining my attention.

"Ready to head out?" He asked.

"Let me change quick and then we can." I replied. Bending down, I picked up my flip flops and heading inside the house. Zach was shuffling through his bag in the dining room as I entered.

"Girl, you are out of your mind." He said, casting me a look. I pointed a finger at him.

"Shush. I just heard it from Trini and Aisha. I promise. Nothing is going to happen." I said, walking passed. I stopped by the staircase. "Hey, did you and Tommy get into a fight or something?" I asked. Zach frowned, shaking his head.

"Not that I'm aware of. Why? Did he say something?"

"No. It's nothing. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" I answered. He nodded, and I ran upstairs to change. I did so quickly, pulling on a pair of jean shorts and a pink tank top. I combed out my wet hair too, hoping it didn't look too much like a drown rat. Hanging up my bathing suit to dry in the tub, I jogged back downstairs where I found Tommy sitting on the couch for me. He smiled brightly when he saw me, standing up. His wet swimming trunks were gone, replaced by a white t-shirt and khakis shorts.

"You ready?" He asked. I nodded.

"Just let me tell Trini and Jase I'm leaving." I replied before bouncing off into the dining room. I went through the backdoor where I found the rest of the group. They all immediately stopped talking when I stepped out, Adam's face looking drastically guilty as I glanced around them. "Well, I'm off. I'm sure it will be easier to talk about me then." I said, dryly.

"We weren't talking about you." Rocky said, shrugging his shoulders. "We were just discussing the wedding. That's all."

"Right. Anyway, I'm leaving. Drive safe on your date, okay?" I said, hugging Trini. She nodded, sending a glare toward Rocky. I turned to Billy who smirked at me. "You and I will have to catch up tomorrow at the beach." I said, hugging him.

"Affirmative. I believe much is needed to be discussed."

"Got that right. Tell your father I said hello."

"I will." I waved at the group as I headed back inside where I found Tommy pacing in the living room. He was deep in thought, the lines above his eyes making a V-shape as his mind wandered. I stopped in the doorway, watching him. What could he be thinking about so hard right now? He looked like he was trying to solve the world's hardest math equation. Clearing my throat, I stepped into the room fully. He stopped pacing, looking at me.

"Everything okay?" I asked. He nodded, painting a smile on his face.

"Yeah. C'mon." Reaching over, he opened the door for me.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

The warm evening breeze felt nice as it came in the windows of Tommy's SUV as he drove the familiar route towards his apartment. Eminem was playing full blast on his radio and we both tried our best to rap along with the singer. He was one of my guilty pleasure when I was living in Florida. I had bought his first CD after I heard him on the radio driving home one day and had to admit he was catchy. I would list to his CD in my apartment when I was doing house work. Nothing gets you pumped better than someone cursing out his mother or his wife. The lyrics reminded me a lot of the feelings I was dealing with after leaving Angel Grove. It was funny seeing Tommy trying to rap the same lines I had cried over. It was like watching a part of my life going full circle.

He pulled into the parking lot behind his building, cutting the engine. We continued to sing the verse of Stan that was playing as we climbed out of the car, smiles plastered on both of our faces. Tommy began to fade away, not knowing the words. I kept going, finishing the rest of it. "And in the car they found a tape, but they didn't say who it was to. Come to think about it, his name was... it was you. Damn." I said, taking a bow as we neared the door of the building.

"Wow. I'm impressed. Didn't realize how much of an Eminem fan you were." Tommy said, unlocking the door with his key. I shrugged.

"Music was something I did to pass the time while I was down in Florida. When you don't have any friends, you gotta find something to preoccupy yourself." I replied, following him up the stairs to his floor. He unlocked the door to his place and the first thing I saw was the pile of empty boxes in the middle of the room where we had sat before. "Oh. Wow." I stated, closing the door behind me.

"Yeah. I snagged some empty boxes earlier but didn't have time to put them away. So, you didn't have any friends down in Florida? Not even from the store?" I shook my head as he hung his keys up on the hook by the door.

"Not really. They were mostly younger kids who were still in school or retired seniors looking for something to pass the time. The people who worked there that were my age either had kids or another job. It wasn't bad though. I was able to keep up on other things in my life." I put my hands on my waist and looked around. "Where should we begin?" He let out a puff of air, glancing around with a look of slight despair on his face.

"I suppose the living room. Though, do you think it would be frowned upon to just leave everything and buy new in London?" Rolling my eyes, I grabbed a box from the pile.

"We got this. I'll start with the breakables. You take care of your collection." I said, pointing at the drawer where his hidden stuff was. He nodded, grabbing his own box. I walked over to the entertainment center and started to wrap the small breakable figures on top of it with newspaper I found on the end table next to it.

"Thank you for helping me. I know hanging out with everyone else would be more fun than this." He said, kneeling on the floor by the drawer.

"It can get a bit overwhelming at times." I confessed, carefully placing the wrapped items in the box. "It's nice being back and seeing everyone but I forgot how involved we all were in each other's lives. Sometimes, I feel like I can't breathe without telling Trini and Jase first."

"Are they on your case too?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me. I nodded.

"Of course, they are. It seems like every time I make a decision, they are there trying to parent me about it." Sighing, I closed the box once it was full. "I know they are trying to be protective of me and I appreciate everything they are doing for me, but I seriously feel like they think I'm stupid or something." I grabbed the roll of packing tape from the couch.

"Yeah. Jason tried that one with me the other day." Tommy said, putting the wrapped helmet in the box next to him. "He told me that I had to be careful hanging out with you because it might look bad." Pulling out a strip of tape, I stopped and looked over at him. He glanced up at me as well, our eyes meeting.

"What did you tell him?"

"Just that we were friends and grown adults who could make their own decisions." He replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I know everyone talks and their concerns about us. I could tell from the moment you agreed to help with the wedding. Especially Trini and Aisha. Those two aren't the subtlest people on the planet."

"Tell me about it." I muttered, slapping the piece of tape on the box.

"I don't care what they think though. The only one I care about is you. You're alright with us being friends, right? Hanging out with me doesn't bother you, does it?" He asked.

"Of course not, Tommy. I'm glad we are friends. I missed hanging out with you. If this bothered me, I would tell you." I answered. He nodded, smirking in my direction as he taped up his own box.

"I'm glad. Had to admit I was worried a bit there. I wasn't sure if maybe you had said something to Trini about it and she made her talk to me." I shook my head.

"No. It's just those two being themselves." I grabbed another box and moved on to his movie collection. I started stacking all the DVDs and VHS tapes into it, trying to keep them in order like they were.

"Tell me more about Florida." He said, standing. He set the box he had done off to the side, grabbing another one. He began to put his wall decorations in this one, including the pictures we had discussed last time I was here.

"I already did." I said, smiling at him over my shoulder.

"No. You gave me a highlighted version of it. I want to hear about it. Especially the part about the games." He said. I bit my lip, turning away from him.

"It's complicated." I replied, hoping he would accept that. He scoffed.

"Fighting four story monsters after math class is complicated." He responded. "I think I can handle it."

"Alright. There isn't much of a story really. I did really well at Pan Globals. I knew I was on the Olympic team before they even told us. My scores had been damn near perfect and I thought Coach Schmidt was going to do back flips out of the building because of it. Once the Pan Globals were finished, I practiced every single day for hours. I wanted to nail my routine down to the point I could do it in my sleep. I was there but some of my team mates thought it would be a good idea to practice some other things as well. It was bad advice, but I did it anyway. It made me feel rusty though and the night before we left for the Olympic games, I wasn't feeling the greatest about my chances. Schmidt gave everyone the night off to relax and get ready to leave. I figure it was the best chance for me to practice one more time without any type of distractions. I was in the gym, doing my routine. It was going great. I didn't miss any marks and I was performing the best I ever had." I put the last movie in the box and taped it up, sitting on the edge of the couch. Tommy stood behind, watching me as I spoke.

"Kim?"

"It was stupidity on my part. I should have known better than to practice alone without telling

anyone where I was going. I was in the middle of doing a cartwheel when my foot slipped off the beam. The crack was so loud, I was surprised that no one heard it. I hit the mat and knew my ankle was broken without even looking at it. I laid there for a few hours before someone finally found me. I was rushed off to the hospital where they told me that I had shattered my ankle. I wouldn't be able to compete in the games. They put my replacement in for me and I got the 'Better luck next year, kid' speech as they left. I quit the day I was released from the hospital after surgery and moved in with my aunt."

"That's terrible." He said softly. "I had wondered what happened to you. We had seen your performance at the Pan Globals and the paper did an article about you going to the Olympics. But then, you were nowhere to be found during the games. I thought that maybe something had happened to you, but Trini told me that things just didn't work out." I nodded.

"Cause that's what I told her to tell people." Sighing, I drummed my fingers on the top of the box in front of me. "Sounded a lot better than me fucking up one of the real chances of a future I had. After that, I moved in with my aunt Gwen in Orlando. I started working on what I wanted to do with my life. I thought about going to college or something. But then, Gwen was diagnosed with cancer. It felt like it came out of nowhere, but I knew I had to do something to help out. I started working at this really shady gas station. It wasn't ideal, but it was a job and I was paying bills. I was actually pulling ahead on some things but then, the gas station was robbed while I was working alone. These two guys came in with guns and threatened me to empty the register."

"What?" He asked, stepping towards me. "You were robbed at _gun point_?" I nodded.

"Yeah. It's funny though. I wasn't scared during the actual robbery. I just gave them what they wanted, and they left. After the fact though, I kept having nightmares and flashbacks. I was terrified about going back. So, I had to quit. Gwen's condition grew worse, but I needed to work still since our bills started piling on again. I started working at a nursing home and one of my co-workers helped me get some singing gigs. Life sorta felt okay then. Singing was a great way to get my mind of things and the money was helping us. I loved singing. Sure, it was a dingy little bar, but people seemed to like my voice. It was the first time since I went to Florida where I felt like I had a place in this world. And then, Gwen died." I felt tears well in my eyes and one slipped down my cheek. "I knew it was going to happen. It was something I had prepared myself for since her diagnosis. We had thought that I would be able to keep her house after her death, but the bank took it. I had to move. I lost my aunt, my home, my job and the only thing keeping me going, my singing. I started working that stupid job at the grocery store to make end meets but then, the manager tried making a pass at me. I lost my job trying to defend myself. So, I decided to move back here. Trini and Jason offered me money to get there and a place to stay. There was no way I could turn that down." My eyes clouded with tears and I heard Tommy shuffle towards me. I felt him sit next to me before he reached out and grabbed my left hand.

"I wish I had known." He whispered. "I would have come in a heartbeat to help you." Shaking my head, I wiped my tears with the back of my free hand.

"No, you wouldn't have." I sniffled. "You were still fighting the good fight. And I broke up with you. There was no way you would have come to my rescue, Tommy."

"I guess we'll never know now, will we?" He said softly. He stroked the top of my hand with his thumb, gazing down at our hands. My heart thundered in my chest. This could be the perfect time to tell him. To just lean across the limited space between us and kiss him. I wondered for a moment if his lips still tasted the same. If they would feel the same against mine. I could just tell him that I still loved him. Would he tell me he still loved me too? Or would it just be in vain?

"Tommy…" I whispered.

"There's something I haven't told you, Kim." He said, cutting me off. "I came to Florida."

"What?" I asked, surprised. "When?"

"About six months after you sent me the letter. It was a night where I was just lying in bed, trying to figure out life and what happened between us. I couldn't take it no more, so I teleported there. It was really late at night and I wasn't even sure if I was at the right spot. I asked a security guard at the gym if you were there. He had told me that you were no longer on the team. He didn't tell me anything else, just that you weren't there. I tried to figure out where you might have been. I even teleported to Paris where I knew your mother was. Zordon was pissed when I made it back though. Told me I had put myself at risk for going all over creation. He didn't tell anyone though. I think he knew what I was trying to do. And when I came back empty handed, he forbid me from using my powers or the Command Center to find you again."

"I was in Orlando then." I said, looking down at the floor. He left him nod. "What would have happened if you had found me?"

"I'm not sure. I had told myself I wanted answers, but I think I was more worried about you than anything. No one had heard from you – at least that's what they told me. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Mentally, I kicked myself. He had come to find me. If I hadn't gotten myself hurt, he would have found me that night and I could have told him the truth. Again, I had managed to fuck things up for us.

"I wish I had been there." I whispered.

"Who was the guy, Kim?" He asked, moving closer to me. "For the longest time, I told myself I didn't want to know. But now, I have to ask." I pulled my hand out of his, standing up.

"Tommy, I don't think we should talk about this." I replied, stepping towards his now empty entertainment center.

"Why? It's been years. I think I handle the truth." I shook my head as he stood up.

"I don't think I'm ready to talk about it. It doesn't matter, anyway. It didn't work out with him. It's not important."

"Kim, please." He pleaded.

"I'm sorry. I can't." I said, softly. "You might be ready but I'm not." He nodded, putting his hands on his hip. I thought I saw anger on his features but he smiled when he glanced up at me.

"Okay. I don't want to make you don't something you don't want to." Looking at the clock, he sighed. "I guess we should get back to packing. We're gonna be here all night at this rate."


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Hello everyone! Hope you are enjoying. Again, thank you for the reviews! They mean so much to me. I hope this chapter makes up for the smaller ones that came before it. Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-One

I winced as a bright light shone in my eyes as I felt myself pull out of a heavy sleep. I moved my head, trying to hide it from the sunlight but it seemed to follow me. Blinking, I realized it was from the open windows on the other side of the room. I could see the bright blue sky and brilliant sunlight pouring in from the glass pane as the morning rolled it. Groaning, I pulled myself up so that I was sitting and saw that I wasn't in my bed. Instead, I was on Tommy's couch. A sea of packed boxes was stacked around the room and it reminded me of why I was here. I had been helping him pack last night. The last thing I remembered was sitting on the couch to take a break. I must have fallen asleep. A blanket was even tucked around me, telling me that Tommy had covered me up. I ran my fingers through my hair, getting out the knots the best way I could. Setting my feet down on the floor, I went to stand. Someone let out a small yelp of pain though, causing me to fall back onto the couch.

"That was my finger you stepped on." Tommy mumbled, sitting up from the floor. Looking down, I saw that he had made a little bed on the floor next to the couch. There was a pillow and a thin mat under him, a blanket wrapped around him as well.

"What are you doing down there? Do you have a bed?" I asked. He shrugged, wiping the grogginess from his eyes.

"This was easier than trying to make my way around the boxes." He replied. His eyes glanced up at the clock on the wall and he let out a whistle. "It's almost ten. It's a wonder they haven't sent a search party out for us."

"Jesus. I'm never gonna hear the end of this one." I muttered, standing up. I made sure to not step on him as I walked over to the phone in the kitchen. Picking it up, I saw that it was unplugged from the wall. "Your phone is unplugged." I said, plugging it in.

"Fuck. Explains why Kat didn't call last night." He stood up, picking up his makeshift bed. I dialed Trini's number and it rang twice before she answered.

"Well, look who is finally awake." She said in a flat tone.

"Hi. We lost track of time packing last night and his phone wasn't plugged in. Did you guys leave for the beach yet?" I asked. In the background, I could hear Zach and Rocky talking.

"We're just packing up. I grabbed your bathing suit and a towel. You guys still meeting us there?"

"Yeah. We'll get ready now and drive over." She made a noise and I heard Jason laugh.

"I feel like we might have something to talk about." Trini said. I rolled my eyes, watching Tommy fold the blankets.

"Sure. See you in a bit." I hung up the phone and set it in the cradle. "They are heading now. Trini said to just meet them there."

"Alright. Did you want to take a shower or anything? I believe the towels aren't packed yet." I shook my head.

"I'll be fine." I replied. "We should probably head out though. Don't want to give them any more reasons to talk."

"Ain't that the truth." He tossed the folded blankets and the mat in a box and walked up the hallway. He returned moments later, a white t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans on his legs. He pulled the hair tie from his pony tail and his loose curls hung around his head.

"I like it curly." I said, smiling over at him. He glanced up, the hair tie between his teeth.

"Yeah?" He asked. I nodded.

"It looks more natural. How are you wearing it for the wedding?" He turned, facing towards the kitchen so he could pull it back.

"Kat wants me to straighten it and wear it down." He replied, turning back to face me. He rolled his eyes, walking over to his shoes by the door.

"You don't like it?"

"No. It's just annoying to do and takes forever. I wanted to wear it up since it's going to be hot that day. It doesn't matter though. My hair doesn't matter. Everyone will be looking at the bride, not me."

"True." I replied, smirking at him. I slid my feet into my flipflops before following him out the door. We climbed in his SUV and he pulled out of the parking lot. He drove for a minute before hitting the highway, heading west towards Aiko Beach, a common place where we used to hang out when we were kids. On the way, we listened to more Eminem and other music, talking about things we've done since we broke up. It was like getting to know Tommy all over again, him being the same person he was but with a broader view of life. The old Tommy was optimistic and determined about life. This version was more down to earth and realistic about the world around us. Though it was sad, it was more humbling to see him like this. Inside, I wondered if it was because of me.

Tommy pulled into the parking lot of Aiko Beach, putting the truck in park as he slid into a space. Various cars were lined up here too, including Trini's car. Off into the distance, I saw the beach near the water. The sand ran for half a mile down the coast, people littered here or there as they enjoyed the warm summer day. Climbing out of the vehicle, I glanced to see if I could recognize our group. Zach dancing on the left side of the beach caught my eye and I saw the rest of the group setting up a grill, some blankets and an umbrella. "Found them." I said, turning to Tommy who walked around the truck towards me.

"Same spot as always." He responded as we started heading towards them. I could see Trini and Aisha by a picnic table, setting up bags of chips, bowls of what was probably salad and trays of meat. Behind them, Jason and Billy were getting the grill going. Zach, Rocky and Adam were tossing a football around, their laughter carrying towards us as we neared the group.

"Hey guys!" I called out. The group turned to look at us and I saw the small smirks on Jason and Billy's faces. Trini put a hand on her hip while Aisha raised an eyebrow at me. The other three boys waved, not seeming to care as much as we stopped next to the table.

"Hey. You guys get the packing done?" Jason asked, nodding at Tommy who shrugged.

"For the most part. Kim was a huge help." He said, smiling down at me.

"I tried." I chirped, sitting on the bench of the picnic table. "Thanks for bringing my stuff, Trini." I said, reaching into my beach bag I found under the table. I pulled my bathing suit out and stood back up.

"No problem. I'm going to help Jason get the food going and then hitting the water. You wanna join us?" She asked, giving me a look that told me I had no choice.

"Yeah. Let me change quick." I spotted the bathroom building about thirty years away. Walking towards it, I made my way inside and quickly changed into my bikini. Coming back out, I saw that the beach was filling up with more people. Tommy, Jason and Billy were by the grill, each sporting a beer in their hand. Adam, Rocky and Zach were gone, telling me they were in the water now. Trini and Aisha stood by the table, their suits on and a towel over their shoulders. I grabbed my towel and we walked down the warm sand towards the water. Setting our towels down by the boys, we slowly made our way into the chilly ocean.

"So…" Trini said, gazing out towards the ocean. "What happened?"

"Nothing." I retorted, feeling the wet sand between my toes. "I helped him pack and told him about what happened in Florida."

"You told him about Matt?" Aisha asked. I shook my head.

"No. He asked me though. I just didn't think it was something I'm not ready to talk about yet with him." I bit my lip, focusing on the water.

"What?" Trini asked.

"Nothing." I said quickly.

"Liar." Aisha said, snorting. "What else happened?"

"I almost told him how I felt." I whispered, making sure no one was around who shouldn't hear it.

"Kimberly…" Trini said, stepping closer. "Did you?"

"No. Hence the almost. We were talking, and it felt like it would have been a great moment but…I couldn't bring myself to do it." Sighing, I gazed up at the sky. "It wouldn't have been fair to him or to Kat." Aisha rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "What?"

"It's the whole Kat thing. Believe me. If you knew some of the shit she pulled, you wouldn't feel that bad."

"Like what? You keep saying stuff like that."

"I don't know if Tommy would want you to know." She said, frowning. "Otherwise, I would have told you already. Just take my word on it." I eyed her, wondering what she wasn't telling me. From the look on Trini's face, she knew as well. She was doing her best to avoid making eye contact with me. I went to say something when a splash of water hit me from behind. I let out a yelp from the cold before turning to face the culprit. I found Rocky, Zach and Adam behind us, Zach grinning with an ear to ear grin.

"Oops. My bad." He said, shrugging his shoulders.

"You're dead, Taylor." I exclaimed, narrowing my eyes at him. Pulling my arm back, I slapped the surface of the water. It sprayed him and Aisha who shrieked. Soon, it turned into an all-out splashing fight. Rocky wasn't playing around. He dove under the water and grabbed Aisha by the legs, pulling her under. Adam was more gentle in his attacks, going one on one with Trini who was hitting him with everything she had. I targeted Zach, making sure to hit the mark with each lap of water. He dove under the water, disappearing from sight. I waited for him to come up, holding my arms out to make the biggest splash possible. I was surprised though when I felt something brush my leg. Someone grabbed both of my thighs and I was suddenly hoisted out of the water on Zach's shoulders. "Zach!" I squealed, trying to keep my balance. "Put me down!"

"Okay. If you say so." He called up. He let go, the both of us falling backwards into the water. Totally submerged, I swam back up the surface to find him laughing at me.

"Oh, just you wait. I will get you back." I said, wiping the water out of my eyes. Behind him, I saw Tommy and Billy wading through the water. An unreadable expression was on Tommy's face and I saw his jaw was clenched. Billy smiled at our group, his glasses gone due to the water.

"Hey." Rocky said, grinning at Tommy and Billy. "You guys just missed it. We got the girls all wet."

"What are you? Twelve?" Aisha asked, twisting her braids to get the water out. Her annoyance read all over her face and she glared at her boyfriend. Rocky shrank back, knowing he was in deep trouble.

"Is food ready?" He asked, turning towards shore. He didn't even wait for an answer before high tailing it out of the water. Adam rolled his eyes, following behind him.

"Chicken shit." I heard his mutter as he waded away. Tommy walked towards me, standing in the water a few feet away. It was funny to see that it only went to his waist where it was almost to my chest. I stood up straight, brushing the hair out of my eyes.

"Having fun?" I asked, smiling at him. He was looking out at the water, his eyes gazing towards the bay.

"I suppose." He muttered, turning his attention to me. "I wonder if the Dragonzord is still there."

"It's gotta be." Trini replied, swimming closer to us. "It hasn't moved since you lost the green Ranger powers."

"Affirmative." Billy chimed in. "Alpha and I designed a cloaking program to disguise it from anyone who might happen to come across it." We all turned to look out over the water. My mind wandered to the last time we had used the Dragonzord in battle. It had always been our strongest weapon when Tommy's powers had been in full capacity. And it was the biggest Zord on its own. When he had spent his time as our enemy, it had been one of our biggest challenges when fighting him. Thankfully, he came to our side before any real damage had been done.

"I miss it sometimes." Aisha sighed, glancing at our group. "Granted, not fighting every day is nice and all but still, I miss the Zords. And being on a team. We did some good work together."

"That we did." Zach replied, smiling. Reaching over, he put a hand on my shoulder and Trini's. "Right from day one, we were a great team."

"We still are." Trini pointed out. "I mean, I see most of you on an almost daily basis still." A few of us chuckled but I saw the hesitation in Billy's eyes. He would be going home in a few days, unsure of when he would be able to return. His eyes lingered on Trini for a moment before he noticed I was looking at him.

"Whose up for a game of Marco Polo?" Zach asked, looking around at the group. There was a collective nod. "I'll be it first." Taking a deep breath, he submerged himself under the water. Everyone spread out, getting away from enough where he wouldn't be able to reach them. Aisha and Trini went the same way as Billy while Tommy and I went separate directions, Zach between us. He popped back up out the water, not opening his eyes. "Marco!" He called.

"Polo." Our collective voices said. He turned, trying to decide which direction to go.

"Marco." He said again.

"Polo." We returned. He stopped, facing my direction. He dove under, heading towards me. I dove to, heading to the right. When I emerged, he was right on my tail, my splashing telling him where I was. I did my best to run the other way, but the water slowed me down. He dove again, this time his arms wrapping around my waist and lifting me out of the water. I shrieked, laughter filling my cries as he tossed me over his shoulder.

"Looks like you're it, Kimmy." He said, tossing me back into the water. I smacked him in his chest, wading towards the middle of the group.

"I think I'm going to see if Jason needs help with the food." Tommy spoke, causing me to look at him. Turning, he waded out of the water and made his way up the beach. I watched him go, confused by him suddenly walking away.

"Come on, Kim!" Aisha called out, gaining my attention. We played a few more rounds of Marco Polo, Billy coming out as the champ for most of it. After a while, we decided to head back to our spot to see if it was time to eat. Jason and Tommy were talking by the grill while Rocky and Adam tossed the football again. As we were walking, Zach nudged me with his shoulder. Turning to look at him, he gave me a small smile.

"How you holding up with this whole wedding thing?" He asked, keeping his voice low. I shrugged.

"I'm okay. Probably because I have you guys keeping tabs on me the whole time." He let out a chuckle, nodding.

"I know. Trini is quite the force to be dealt with. So, you spent the night at his place last night? Did anything happen?"

"We talked about some stuff. That's about it. I almost told him about my feeling."

"That's great!"

"I didn't though." He frowned. "I can't just tell him now. It'll mess everything up for him. I don't want to cause a nuclear meltdown the week of his wedding."

"True. You'll figure it out. In the meantime, don't forget you can talk to any of us about it. And I'm do my best to keep Trini and Jason off your backs."

"Thanks, Zach." I said, putting an arm on his shoulder. We stopped by the site, seeing everyone pile food on their plates. I smiled at Tommy who was watching me from his place by the grill. He returned it, but I saw it didn't really reach his eyes. Grabbing a plate, I filled it with some food. Turning, I sat with everyone else at the picnic table. We talked and joked about the day, enjoying memories that we had from times we spent here before. It was nice, but I still felt like there was something up with Tommy. He didn't speak much or eat a lot, choosing to pick at his food instead with his fork. I kept an eye on him but saw that he didn't really look at me. He spent most of the meal glancing at Zach now and then.

"I'm ready for a swim." Jason said, tossing his empty plate in the garbage at the end of the table. Everyone stood up, moving to clear the garbage and seal the leftover food.

"That sounds good." Tommy replied, shifting his eyes so they landed on me for a moment. Without another word, he turned and headed towards the water with Jason. Rocky, Adam and Aisha followed. Zach and Trini headed off after the group. Sighing, I shoved my plate into the bag.

"Hey." Billy's voice said behind me, reminding me he was still there. "Would you appreciate a walk with me?" He motioned behind us where the trails to the nature path started. "I think we could both us the talk."

"I think you're right about that."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

Billy and I walked the all too familiar path down the beach to the nature trail. It ran the length of the beach behind the trees, letting the patrons see the water from a higher point of view. When we were younger, we spent a great deal of time on these trails. It was common for us to bike or roller blade on them, being the golden age of our youths. Trees lined the path, creating shade from the hot sun. From our point on the path, I could see our group hanging out in the water. Aisha and Trini hung out in the shallow portion with Zach, basking in the sun. Tommy, Adam and Jason were in the water, an actual smile on Tommy's lips.

"Are you going to communicate to him your feelings?" Billy asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Are you going to tell Trini?" I replied.

"Touché." He said, glancing off towards the water. "I suppose romance isn't always this complicated, right?"

"I wouldn't know." I muttered sitting on a bench that overlooked the beach. Sighing, he sat next to me. "Billy, I don't understand myself sometimes. When I was in Florida, I knew I still loved Tommy. It didn't bother me this much though. I could just ignore it. Now that I'm here, it's like I gotta face it every single day head on. It's exhausting. And when I try to ignore it, it's like a slap in the face the next time I see him."

"Affirmative. I know the feeling." He leaned back against the bench.

"At least you're married though. You have someone."

"Relations between my wife and myself are not positive." He responded. He glanced down at his hands in his lap. "Our relationship worked well in the beginning. We were communicating a great deal and our work allowed us to get along adequately. Things have altered though. I believe she may know that I hold feelings for another woman."

"Oh, Billy. I'm sorry to hear that. Do you think it's something you can work on?" He shrugged.

"I'm unsure. I have to give it my best effort, however. Divorce is not common on Aquitar. And I don't wish to hurt her either."

"Tell me about it." I said. "When I came back here, no one told me he was getting married. They thought they were helping me. He broke the news to me and then Kat asked me to plan the whole thing. I didn't know what to do so I agreed. Now, I think it was the second biggest mistake of my life."

"What was the first occurrence?"

"Breaking up with him in the first place." I whispered. "But, I can't tell him how I feel. It wouldn't be fair to Kat. Hell, me staying there last night with him wasn't fair to her either. I feel awful about it."

"I'm sure Katherine would understand due to her previous actions against Tommy." Billy replied, rubbing his glasses with his t-shirt. "After her affair, I'm quite certain she has no moral standing for objecting." My mouth gaped open.

"Affair? What affair?" I asked. Billy looked at me, surprised by my reaction.

"Are you not aware of this occurring?" He asked. "I believed that Tommy would have mentioned it to you."

"Does this look like the face of someone who has this knowledge?" I exclaimed. "Who was it? What happened?"

"From what Tommy relayed to me, it was a man that worked for the same ballet company that Katherine was studying with. She revealed the affair to Tommy after coming home from London her previous trip before their engagement. She claimed it was a result of being lonely while travelling abroad. She had briefly held a relationship with the man until she had to return to the United States. When she returned, she confessed and told Tommy that she thought she might be in love with the other man. Tommy asked her to pick between them and Katherine decided on Tommy. That's when they discovered she would be involved with the ballet and needed to move."

"What?" I said, standing. "She cheated on him while in another country and Tommy just let her come back? Why would he do that? That's horrible! What a tramp!" I said. "I might not be a saint here, but I at least didn't cheat on him. I broke things off before that thought even crossed my mind. She does the unthinkable and he's _**marrying**_ her!"

"Affirmative." Billy said. "Though, it's my belief that he was not upset by the affair. He didn't express that to me when he told me this."

"Wasn't upset? How could he not be upset?" I asked. Billy shrugged.

"Perhaps he isn't as invested in the relationship as one would believe." I casted my eyes from the water towards Billy again. Giving me a small smile, he ran a hand over his hair. "Some people settle when they can't achieve what they desire."

"Billy…" I whispered. I let my hands drop to my side, feeling a little deflated. "I can't tell him."

"Sure, you can." He replied, giving a small shrug. "I understand the circumstance though. It's difficult to declare your emotions towards someone when they are currently with another person. Especially when they seem to be happy in the relationship." His eyes flickered to the beach again. "My friendship with Trini means a great deal to me. But, so does my friendship with Jason. Thus, leaving me with this conundrum." I nodded, sitting back down next to Billy. A small feeling of relief came over me as we glanced towards one another. It was nice having someone here who knew what I was going through. His feelings for Trini have always been a sore subject. I was the only one who knew how he felt. It was something that he didn't like to talk about in fear of her finding out. Once, when we were teenagers, he had almost asked her to a dance. She ended up going with another boy though, leaving him to watch her all night long with someone else. I wish I could say I could only imagine how it felt to see someone you loved with someone else but, I know it all too well. Especially since I drove them towards each other.

"I'm glad you're here." I said, leaning my head on his shoulder. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too. I would have called but I lack the right type of communication system. Prior to the communicators, I was unable to speak to anyone without the help of Zordon."

"I wish you didn't have to leave so soon. Will you be able to come back to visit again?" I asked. He nodded, wrapping his arm around my shoulders in a friendly way.

"I believe so. Now that I've tested this solution, it seems to work effectively enough where I will be able to use it again. Perhaps I could return around the holidays to spend it with my father and you guys." He replied.

"I think that would be great." I smirked, sitting up. Down below, I saw Tommy standing on the beach. He was glancing around, his hands on his hips. I could see the water on his bare chest, dripping down from the wet curls on his head. Aisha and Trini were making their way up the beach, heading back towards our area. "I suppose we should get back. I think there's watermelon for dessert."

"Affirmative. I brought it."

Standing, Billy and I headed back down to the picnic area. Aisha and Trini were sitting at the picnic table, Zach standing next to them. He held a large knife in his hand and a half-sliced watermelon was on the table in front of him. The three turned when they heard our footsteps, a smile crossing their faces when they saw it was Billy and me.

"There you two are." Trini said. "We thought you vanished on us."

"We decided to walk the trails for a little bit." I replied. Reaching over, I grabbed a slice of the melon from in front of Zach. He swatted my hand away but not before I snagged one. I bit into it, the juices dripping down my chin as I did. I wiped them away with the back of my free hand.

"Get outta here, Hart." Zach said, grinning at me. "I'm carving a masterpiece here."

"Sure, you are." Aisha retorted, rolling her eyes. I giggled, taking another bite of my melon.

"You girls just wait. You're gonna see the best slices of watermelon in your life. My momma taught me the perfect way to do this. You gotta treat it like a woman. Follow all the curves and listen to where it wants to be cut." Bending down, he eye-balled the other half of the green fruit. Standing, he sank the knife into the rind.

"Whatever you say." I said, giggling. Reaching out with his free hand, he poked me in the ribs. I flinched out of his reach, slapping him in the arm.

"You two could make it a little less obvious." A voice said from behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Tommy and Jason coming from the beach area. Adam was behind them with Rocky. Tommy had been the one who spoke, anger playing on his features. His eyes darted between Zach and I, landing on me. "I can see why you didn't want to tell me who it was last night. I think I figured it out though."

"Figured what out?" I asked, confused. He scoffed, shaking his head.

"It was Zach you dumped me for, wasn't it?" He asked. Zach spun around, surprised by the words Tommy was saying.

"Woah. What? Tommy, you've got it all wrong." He said. "Kimberly is just my friend."

"You both have been flirting non-stop since you came back. Every time I turn around, the two of you are whispering to each other. I'm not stupid, Kim."

"Oh yeah? Cause you're sure acting it." Zach snapped, taking a step toward Tommy. He set the knife he had been holding on the table, wiping his hands on his swimming trunks. Tommy took a step forward too, looking down at the shorter man in front of him.

"Guys, come on. This is silly." Jason said, putting a hand between his two friends.

"Tommy, you don't know what you are talking about." I stressed, running a hand through my hair. "It wasn't Zach."

"It makes sense. You guys finished with the conference about the time you were getting ready for the games, right? Trini and Jason came back here but Zach was out travelling the country. I'm sure Florida just happened to be one of those stops. Just tell me. Did you sleep together before you broke up with me? Or did you wait until the letter was in the mail first?"

"Tommy!" Trini exclaimed, standing to help with the growing altercation.

"I think you better check yourself before you say something you regret." Zach said, holding his hand up towards Tommy in a non-offensive manner. Adam, Aisha and Rocky moved in closer, gearing up to separate whatever was about to happen. Billy stood by my side, watching in apprehension at what was growing.

"Or what? You're going to make me?" Tommy asked, stepping forward. He bounced off Jason's arm that was holding the two apart.

"Stop it!" I exclaimed, stepping closer to them. "It wasn't Zach, okay? Why does it even matter?"

"Because I don't like seeing it shoved down my throat every time you two are around each other." He retorted back, glaring at me. Anger flared in my chest. He was mad at me for flaunting a non-existent relationship in front of him? How about he tries being in my damn shoes, planning his fucking wedding to someone else?

"It wasn't fucking Zach!" I yelled, balling my fists at my sides. "It was an asshole named Matt who only used me so that he could get a spot on the Olympic team. He tricked me into breaking up with you so that he could get me to fuck up my chances. Once it worked, he took my spot on the team and broke up with me. There. Are you fucking happy now?" I asked, angry tears filling my eyes. Turning, I grabbed my bag from under the table and stormed off.

"Kim, wait!" I heard behind me, but I didn't stop.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: You guys are killing me with your reviews! Hahahaha. I hope you like this one! :)

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Chapter Twenty-Three

There are a number of things I've never done before in my life. I wouldn't say I have a bucket list, really. If I did, I guess I could cross off hitchhiking now. From the beach parking lot, I found an older couple who had been loading up their car to head home. The wife had seen me crossing the lot in tears and asked if I needed a ride home. I agreed, getting in a car with complete strangers to get the hell out of there. My mother would have a coronary if she knew that. They were nice enough to stop in Angel Grove before heading to where ever they were going. I asked them to leave me at the park, not wanting them to know where I was going. They left with a smile and wave, heading back to the highway. Still fuming, I walked the familiar path through the park until I found myself at the pond. The sun shimmered off the surface of it, making it seem like glitter was strewn across it. Soon, I found myself sitting at the all too familiar spot along the edge of the water. It had been a place where I had spent many times with Tommy. If he was here now, I would probably drown him in the water.

Where in the hell did he get the idea it was Zach? Of all the people in the world, I couldn't see what make him think it was him. Of any of our friends, I could see Jason being the one to assume. We were closer and spent more time together. But Zach? This was the first I had seen of him since he left the Rangers. I couldn't even tell you the last time we had spoken on the phone. He was my friend and I was glad to see him. Did we come off as flirting? I didn't believe so. And what did it matter anyway? Tommy was getting married to Kat in less than a week. Why did he care about who I broke up with him for? He was supposedly happy in his relationship with her? Why couldn't he just let it go after I told him I wasn't ready to talk about it yet? The anger in my chest began to fade as I thought about it. Maybe it was because he was still just as confused as I was about the whole thing. I had literally broken his heart out of nowhere and he was just looking to get some answers about everything. Granted, I didn't think he would just to the conclusion that Zach was the guy, but I should have figured he would be left to assume something.

Maybe coming back to Angel Grove was a mistake. Since I've come back, I've done nothing but cause troubles not only for myself but the whole group. I sucked them all into the drama of what is my pathetic love life. Everyone walks on eggshells around it now. Trini and Jason act like they have to babysit me because of it too. And now, poor Zach was put in the middle of it. Biting my lip, a sinking feeling filled my chest. It wasn't too late to go to Paris. My mother had an open invitation there, a plane ticket waiting for me whenever I needed it. She had told me when my aunt died that the option was always on the table if I ever wanted it. Going to Paris until everything was over might be the best idea. It would give Tommy and Kat the space away from me to finish their nuptials. Everyone else would be able to enjoy the happy event without having to worry about me. I was become a burden to everyone, something that made my stomach hurt. In the same breath though, I couldn't bring myself to leave. I stayed rooted to my spot on the ground, the small patch of sand between the water and the grass digging into my skin. My toes were just in the water, the coolness lapping at the top of my feet. Leaving would mean never seen Tommy again. And that thought scared me more than I cared to admit.

"Hey." Tommy's voice said above me. I jumped slightly, surprised to hear another person's voice. Glancing up, I saw him standing a few feet away. A guilty expression was stamped on his face, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans. His hair was down, the drying curls flowing around his face. I didn't say anything, turning back to face the water. He took a few steps forward before sitting on the ground next to me. "Kimberly, I'm sorry."

"For what? Accusing me of leaving you for Zach? Acting like an ass? Making me admit something in front of everyone?" I asked.

"All of it, I guess. I shouldn't have behaved like that."

"No." I replied, turning to face him. "You shouldn't have."

"You didn't give me much choice though. You wouldn't tell me about what made you break up with me. And every time I saw you and Zach together, my mind convinced me that it made more and more sense."

"Do you honestly think that Zach is that type of person? That I'm that type of person?" I asked. He shook his head, resting his arms on his bent legs in front of him.

"No. I know that. But, like I said, I was just trying to fill in the holes with what I had to go off of. I shouldn't have forced you to tell me though. It was a dick thing to do after you told me you weren't ready yet."

"No." I sighed, looking over the water again. "I should have told you before today. I just wasn't ready to admit to you how big of an idiot I had been." Hugging my knees to my chest, I placed my chin on the left one. "I wanted to tell you, Tommy. I just didn't want you to think less of me than you already do now."

"Do you think any less of me after the stunt I just pulled?" I shook my head. "Then, I think I don't have any room to judge you then."

"Are you sure you want to know?" I asked. He nodded, moving closer. "A few weeks after I started training, Coach Schmidt's partner found out he was sick with something that pulled him out of work. He was in charge of running the boys' portion of the school. Because he left on such short notice, Schmidt had to take over for them as well. They started training with us. That's when I met Matt. He was my age, the only one in the program that was. He was really helpful with Schmidt about getting to know all the kids on their division and getting them settled in. We became friends quickly because his story was like mine; he was from the west coast with a girlfriend he was trying to make it work with over the distance. Honestly, it started out with being just friends. I didn't even imagine him being anything but that. We'd hang out, train the younger students, and even help each other with practice. It was like hanging out with Jason or Billy, just on the other side of the country. It was nice having someone there who I could talk to that understood what I was going through."

"You could have talked to me." Tommy interjected. I shook my head.

"It wasn't the same, Tommy. You were here with all our friends and your family. You didn't know what it was like having to be on the other side of the country as everyone you loved. It was different talking to someone who was going through it too." I saw the obvious hurt on his face. "I told you I didn't want to tell you."

"I know. Keep going." He insisted.

"After a while though, I realized that I was feeling more towards Matt than just friendship. And I hated myself. I did everything in my power to avoid it. I tried not spending time with him anymore, switching my practice times so I wasn't seeing him. It didn't work though. So, I decided to just ignore it. I figured a crush would just go away. You were the person I was in love with and all I wanted. I wasn't going to let this change that. Even after he told me he wanted to be with me as well. He offered to end things with his girlfriend, so we could be together. I told him I couldn't though. You were the one I wanted to be with." I took a deep breath. "But then Aisha told me about Kat."

"What about Kat?" He asked.

"Aisha said that when talking to Tanya, she had mentioned that you and she were getting along really well. And then she said that Kat had confided in Tanya that she had feelings for you. It wasn't shocking to me. I had figured before I left. But, she mentioned something about Rocky and Adam feeling like you may share the same feelings as Kat. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. You always talked about her in our letters and you spent a great deal of time with her. Maybe you did have feelings for her. I tried to call you to talk about it, but your mother told me you were out with Kat when I called. In my heart, I figured you were moving on. I wrote you the letter because I thought you would be happier with her being here and I didn't want something to happen with Matt that I regretted."

"You broke up with me because of what you heard through gossip?" He asked. I shook my head.

"No. I broke up with you because I was selfish and stupid. After I sent you the letter, I told Matt that I wouldn't mind maybe going for a date. So, we did. We went out a couple times and I felt like I had made the right call. He was everything I said he was in the letter. He helped me with my routines and I aced it at the Pan Globals. He didn't though. He didn't even come close to placing. After, he was the one who told me to try things I hadn't before to make my routine better in his eyes. Now that I look at it, I see it was him trying to get me off the team. I think he thought that if Schmidt saw me struggling, he would boot me out and put him in my place. Luckily for him though, I broke my ankle. I sealed my own fate there. He came to the hospital the night of my accident and told me he was taking my place on the team. He them promptly broke up with me and told me to never contact him again."

"He really did use you then." Tommy said in a soft voice. I nodded, wiping a tear from my cheek the slid out.

"Yeah. It's my own fault though. I did it to myself. I'm starting to believe that coming back here wasn't the greatest idea."

"Why?" He asked, looking concerned.

"It seems like it's caused nothing but issues. I caused a fight between you and Zach." Shaking his head, he frowned.

"That's not on you. It was me. I was stupid and jealous over nothing that concerns me. I'm getting married on Saturday." He cursed under his breath, running his fingers through his hair. "I was being spiteful for nothing and took it out on the wrong people. Zach and I are fine. I told him I was sorry. I hope he understands."

"I'm sure he will." I gave him a small smile, trying to be supportive.

"You coming back here wasn't a horrible thing, Kim. I'm glad you're back. Everyone is. It's something that should have happened a long time ago. But, you did it at your own pace and came back when it was right for you. You've always been my best friend and someone I know I could count on. Too bad you weren't here about six months ago. I really could have used you then."

"Why?" Tommy sighed, adjusting himself so his legs were crossed under him.

"The last time Kat went to London, she came back and was acting differently." He said. "I figured it was being back here after the long flight and everything. Well, then she confessed to cheating on me. There was some guy she had been going to class with. The two hit it off great. She claimed it wasn't something she planned. It just happened. I was floored though. Never in a million years did I think that Kat would do this. She sounded sincere when she said she felt bad. I gave her a choice; him or me. She picked me. The next thing we knew, she was accepted into the ballet program and had to go back. She told me that she wanted to get married to make sure it didn't happen again. I agreed. Here we are now." In his eyes, I saw a sense of loss behind them. It was as if he didn't know what to do with what he was saying. It made my stomach hurt to see him look like that.

"Billy told me." I whispered, putting a hand on his arm. "He didn't mean to, but he did. I'm sorry to hear that, Tommy. You didn't deserve to have that happen to you. You're a great man. She shouldn't have betrayed you like that. Why did you stay with her?"

"My relationship with you didn't work out. I figured I had to do whatever I could to make this one work." He responded. It felt like a slap to the face, the simple way he stated it. "And well, it seemed to work out alright. There is a wedding Saturday, after all." Both of us fell silent, overlooking the water in front of us. In the silence between us, I felt something. I wasn't sure what it was. It gave me the feeling of something left unsaid, as if something hung between the both of us. Tell him how you feel, Billy's voice said in my mind. Closing my eyes, I shifted so I was facing him.

"Tommy." I said, opening my eyes again. He shifted to look at him.

"I should thank you." He replied, giving me a smile. "If it wasn't for you, I never would have made it this far. We're both going to make something of ourselves some day and I'm glad I have a friend like you I can count on. If you ever feel like you need to get away for a while, you are always free to come stay with Kat and I in London once we get settled in."

"Oh." I said, feeling hope deflate in my chest. I bit back my confession, bringing the smile I had on my face again to hide my pain. "That would be great. Thanks, Tommy."


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Hi everyone! All I can say is WOW! I had so many reviews and PMs about this story when I woke up the other morning, it took me a while to get through them all. I am glad to see so many of you liking this and I hope you continue to. We're getting close to the wedding now, so I am sure there is nothing but trouble to be had. :D

I do not own the rights to the Power Rangers or any song used in the making of this story.

Chapter Twenty-Four

That night, I tossed and turned for what felt like hours. By the time I managed to fall asleep, the sun was beginning to rise. I was able to get a couple hours in before a knocking on my bedroom door dragged me from my slumber. Rolling over, I watched as Trini opened my door and stuck her head inside. She smirked at me, the dimple on her left cheek showing. "Morning, sleepy head." She said.

"Hi." I muttered, pulling the comforter around me more.

"Tommy called and said he would be over in about half an hour to get you. What's on the menu to torture yourself today?" She asked, sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Finding a DJ. We have a couple setting up at the Youth Center to see how they do. Any chance you want to come?" I asked, giving her a pleading look.

"Sorry. I have the rest of my dissertation to finish or else I would." She replied. "Kim, just tell him you can't do it anymore. I'm sure he would understand." She reached out and put a comforting hand on my back. Sighing, I shook my head.

"I made it this far. I can last five more days." Shifting, I sat up in the bed. After our talk, Tommy brought me home and I told Trini and Jason everything. We were up into the wee hours talking about it. I was unsure of what else to do about it. I had come close to telling him how I felt, twice now. Each time, he would say something about feeling good with Katherine. What was I supposed to do now? It was getting harder and harder to pretend I didn't have feelings for him. And I felt bad for lying about it as well. I didn't have much choice about it though. Telling him would either cause a rift between us or a rift between him and Kat. I didn't want that to happen and I didn't want to shatter their relationship because I can't get over a guy. It made me feel pathetic. This wasn't an episode of 90210. I needed to get a grasp on myself and pull my shit together if I was going to make it passed this wedding in one piece.

"Well, I gotta say that you are brave. I mean, I knew you were before this but not a lot of people would be able to put their feelings aside for someone like this to help them plan their wedding. You are quite the woman, lady."

"I don't feel like it sometimes." I whispered. "Tommy told me about Kat's affair. I mean, Billy told me first, but he told me after everything blew up yesterday. If I hadn't broken up with him, he wouldn't have been in a relationship with Kat. In a way, it's my fault that he was hurt by her if you think about it."

"Only if you think about it in the neurotic Kimberly fashion." She mused, raising an eyebrow at me. "Tommy is a big boy. IF he didn't want to get hurt again, he wouldn't have taken her back. We all told him so too. She just thinks if you put a ring on it, everything is fixed. He's just so afraid of having his heart broken again that he's willing to sacrifice his own happiness." Crossing her arms on her lap, she gave me a small smile. "You gotta stop beating yourself up about breaking up with him. It's happened. There's nothing you can do about it now except try to move on. I know it's hard, but you have to."

"Easier said than done." I muttered. "But yeah. That's what I have to do." Glancing at the alarm clock on the bed side table, I saw I had a good ten minutes before Tommy would be here to get me. "I suppose I should get ready to do. Good luck with your paper."

"Thanks. Good luck with finding a DJ." She replied, standing up. With a wave, she left my room. I took a super quick shower, tossing my hair up into a pony tail before pulling on a pair of white shorts and a light blue t-shirt. I had run out of pink, needing to do laundry when I came home tonight. It was almost a relief to wear something else. It was a habit I would need to break again.

I was sitting on the couch, pulling on my shoes when Tommy walked in the front door. He smiled brightly when he saw me, the red t-shirt on his torso matching well with the black jeans he wore. His hair was pulled back behind his head, gel managing it, so it would hold. The smell of his after shave filed the room in a pleasant way as he closed the door behind him. "Morning." He said. "How'd you sleep?"

"I didn't." I replied. "And you?"

"Sorry to hear. Want some coffee before we head to the youth center?" he asked. I shook my head, grabbed the keys for the youth center from the hook where Jason had told me he would leave them.

"I'm fine. I can make some there. Let's get this show on the road." I followed him out the door where I saw his SUV parked on the side of the road. I was surprised to see a for sale sign on the side of it, tucked into the back window on the passenger side. "You're selling your SUV?" I asked, pulling open the passenger door.

"Yeah." He replied, climbing in. "I thought about just keeping it and using it again when we moved back to the states, but I'm not sure when that's going to be. I figured we could use the money with the move and everything."

"I wish I had the money for it." I said as he started the engine and pulled away from the curve. "At least that way, you wouldn't have to give her up."

"Yeah?" He asked, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. "I'll let you use it while I'm gone, if you want. That way, I don't have to sell her."

"Are you sure?" He nodded, smiling in my direction.

"Yeah! I didn't want to get rid of her. It was more Kat's idea, really. She didn't want to have to pay for storage and my uncle wouldn't let me keep her at his place. I even asked David if he would let me storage her, but the tribe has rules about that kinda stuff. You'll be doing me a favor. Plus, you'll need a car for when you land a job."

"Sounds good to me." I smiled. Tommy took a left and pulled into the parking lot of the Youth Center. There were no cars to be found but the OPENING SOON sign caught my eye on the front of the building. On Monday after the wedding, Jason was officially ready to open the Youth Center to the public. He was currently looking for someone to run the bar when he couldn't be here and teachers for different classes. He had spent a great deal of time and energy on this and I was excited to see it open. Rocky and Adam were going to help him until he found someone permanent.

"So, how many DJs are we trying out?" He asked, stepping out of the truck. I grabbed my bag and climbed out as well, looking down at the list in my hand.

"Four." I replied. "The first one should be here in about twenty minutes." He groaned, taking the key from me so he could open the back door that faced the parking lot. He held it open for me, propping it open with a cement block as I passed through. I flicked the lights on, seeing that all the tables and chairs had been assembled now and were set up on the left side of the room where the ceremony would be taking place. I smiled, liking that it was still big enough for a dance floor in the middle of the room. "This is actually going to work." I said, putting my hands on my hips.

"Of course, it is. Did you doubt yourself?" He asked, walking towards the bar. He stopped in front of the coffee maker behind it and started setting it up to make a pot of coffee. It started brewing a few seconds later.

"We can leave the tables here and set up the rows of chairs on the dance floor in front of the alter." I said, motioning towards the area where we would set up the place for the bridal party to stand. And the DJ can set up on the side of that."

"Sounds good." He said.

"Hello?" A voice called from the door way and a man stuck his head in. He was an older gentleman, about fifty, with black hair and blue eyes. He smiled when he saw Tommy and I, giving a small wave. "I'm Greg from Music Beats. Is this the wedding venue?"

"Yes! Hello. I'm Kimberly and this is Tommy, the groom. You can set up right over there." I replied, pointing at the corner. He nodded, walking in. He was pushing two large speakers on wheels and had a bag draped over his shoulder. Quickly, he set everything up and pulled a microphone in. He tested it, the sound echoing around the empty room. Tommy poured himself and me a cup of coffee before walking back down to the main floor. Pulling two chairs out from a table, we sat down and faced the sound system. Greg smiled at us when he was ready, walking around to the middle of the dance floor with the mic in hand.

"I'm just going to run through a quick example of my work and them some songs, okay?" Tommy gave him a thumbs up. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! I would like to welcome you to the wedding reception of the newlywedded Mr. and Mrs. Tommy Oliver. Dinner will be served in under an hour but please be sure to enjoy our cocktail hour as well as some tasty treats to keep you tied over til then. I will be playing you some music to get the party started so remember to have fun!" He jogged over to the computer behind the speakers and some kind of loud music started to play. It vibrated the floor under my feet and made my chest thumb. I wasn't sure what it was, but it was nothing I had heard before. Greg bobbed his head, enjoying the music.

"What the hell is this?" Tommy asked over the music. I shrugged, wincing at the volume. Waving his hand, Tommy tried to get Greg's attention. When he finally looked up, he lowered the volume, so Tommy could speak. "Sorry to interrupt but what exactly are you playing?"

"Dubstep! It's the biggest thing in London right now. All the kids love it. Super catchy."

"That's really not our kind of music." Tommy explained. "I like more R&B and my fiancé is more into country music." Greg frowned.

"Oh. All I play is dubstep. Are you sure you don't want to give it a try? A have another song that will knock your socks off!"

"I think we're good." I said, giving him a cheerful smile.

The rest of the afternoon was filled with listening to the other three DJs. The first two were just guys with speakers who were trying to make a quick buck. I could tell they have never done a wedding before and they gave me a Bulk and Skull type vibe. The last DJs showed some promise, but he was only available for three hours Saturday, having another event that night. That would mean he would be leaving the reception before it was even over. Frowning, I watched as he packed up his things and left.

"Now what?" I asked. "He was the last DJ in town."

"We'll figure something out." Tommy replied.

"Like what? A band? There's no way we are going to find someone this soon to sing for the wedding." He shrugged.

"I don't know about that. I'm sure there's someone out there." Smiling, he pointed behind me where I saw Zach standing in the doorway. He had a black bag in his hand that was about the size of suitcase.

"Hey." Zach said, grinning at me.

"Hey. What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Well, this is for the wedding try outs, right?" He asked, stepping further in the room. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah. Wait. Are you trying out as a DJ?"

"Not exactly. Let me set up and I'll explain." He jogged over to the corner of the room where there was a stereo. Turning it on, he pulled a microphone and a laptop out of the bag. Plugging the computer into the stereo, I heard buzzing from around the room. There were small speakers set up, probably for when they hold classes here. He tapped the microphone, the noise travelling around us. "Check, check. One, two. Hello. Okay. Good to go." He said, pressing some buttons on the laptop. He turned back to face Tommy and me.

"Alright. What's going on?" I asked, looking between the two.

"Well, after everything that happened yesterday, I talked to Zach last night. He asked if he could be the wedding singer at the reception." Tommy said, putting a hand on Zach's shoulder.

"That's great!" I exclaimed, smiling at the both of them. "Does that mean you are going to sing us a song?"

"Not exactly. See, when I offered to sing, I told Tommy that I would need to take a break or two. It's hard work on the vocal cords. So, we thought having another singer on hand would be a good idea." Both turned to look at me.

"What?" I asked, unsure of what they were trying to say. It suddenly dawned on me. "Me? You want me to sing at the reception?"

"Just for our first dance." Tommy replied, shrugging. "I've always loved your voice and it would mean a great deal to me if you would." I almost laughed out loud. Was the universe kidding with me right now? He wanted me to sing during their first dance. Why not ask me to just toss myself out a five-story building while he was at it?

"I don't know, Tommy. I mean, it's such an important part of the day. I'm sure Zach would do fine."

"I can't. I have other grooms' men duties to do at that time." He responded. I shot him a glare, seeing the obvious lie.

"What's the song?" I asked.

"Some Whitney Houston song." Tommy replied. "The one in that movie with the bodyguard in it."

"Jesus Christ." I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.

"At least try it out. You can sing for Zach and me. If you don't wanna do it then, I'll take your no." I eyed him for a moment. He clasped his hands in front of him in a pleading manner.

"Fine but there is no way I'm going to be able to kill those high notes like her." Walking over, I took the microphone from Zach. He turned to the computer and the beginning cords to 'I Will Always Love You' began to play around the room. Taking a deep breath, I waited for my cue.

"If I should stay

I would only be in your way

So, I'll go but I know

I'll think of you every step of the way

And I... will always love you, ooh

Will always love you

You

My darling, you...

Mmm-mm

Bittersweet memories –

That is all I'm taking with me.

So good-bye.

Please don't cry:

We both know I'm not what you, you need."

As I sang, I did my best to not look at Tommy. I felt tears brim in my eyes as the lyrics came from my mouth. They rang true to how I felt for him. I knew, deep down. I would always love Tommy. There was no question to it. But, not telling him was one way I was sure I could allow him to find happiness. I'm not the person he wants to be with and I'm not the one he needs to be with. He's found happiness in Kat, no matter how much that hurts me. Loving him was knowing that he needed to be with the person that would make him happy. After what he's been through, whether it was because of me directly or indirectly because of Kat, I had no business in wanting to be with him. I was a fool for even considering it.

The song came to a close and I caught my breath, letting the instrumental part fade out. I was able to blink back the tears as Tommy and Zach clapped. Both stood up, giving me a loud standing ovation. I waved my hand at them, handing the microphone back to Zach.

"That was amazing!" Zach said, giving me a hug. Tommy nodded, smiling down at me.

"It truly was. What do you say? Will you sing our song?"

"Sure." I replied, forcing that smile I was all too well at doing at this point.

"Thank you!" He exclaimed, wrapping his arms around me in a tight hug. I returned me, enjoying his arms holding me. I caught Zach giving me a sympathetic smile behind Tommy.

"You're welcome. It's your turn, Zach." I said as we pulled away.

"What?"

"I sang. You get to sing now. It is a try out, after all." I smirked, sitting in the chair I had sat in for the DJs. He shrugged.

"Alright. Get ready to get your socks knocked off." He jogged over to the computer and pressed some buttons. Like it had done for me, the first few notes of a song began. I recognized it as Open Arms by Journey. "Lying beside you, here in the dark. Feeling your heartbeat with mine…" Zach sang. Gently, Tommy tapped me on the shoulder. I turned to look at him and saw he held his hand out, asking to dance.

"I need the practice." He said, smirking. I let him take my hand in his and he pulled me to my feet. He wrapped his right arm around my waist and took my right hand in his left. Slowly, he led us into a swaying motion around the room.

"I think you've gotten better at this." I joked, winking up at him. He chuckled, the smile making small wrinkles in the corners of his eyes appear.

"I don't see how. I really don't dance much. I mean, I took Kat to prom but that was about it. It's not like we see each other enough to go out dancing."

"I can't even tell you the last time I danced with someone. Though, I'm pretty sure it was with that night we spent at your uncle's cabin." A slight blush filled his cheeks and he diverted his eyes away from me. I was referring to our last night together before I left for Florida. We had spent it at his uncle's cabin, mostly wrapped up in the sheets of the bed. It had been the most romantic night of my life, one I still think about often.

"Oh, yeah. That was quite the night." He stammered. I grinned. "It was a good night."

"Until your mother surprised you with breakfast the next morning. And I had to hide in the closet, so she wouldn't know I was there."

"And she found your bra in the bathroom. To this day, she still thinks my uncle was hiding an affair while he was staying there." I laughed, trying to picture his mother yelling at his uncle about my favorite pink lace bra. I had warned him about leaving it laying around, but we were a bit busy with other activities to remember. "We sure had a lot of fun together. I always have fun with you."

"I try my best." I replied, Zach's song coming to an end.

"Have I told you yet that I'm glad you're back?"

"You may have mentioned it a time or two."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

After it was decided that Zach would sing at the wedding (aside from the times I would be covering), Zach gave me a ride back home since Tommy needed to pick up Billy. He said they had something to work on and that he would see me the next morning when the boys were scheduled for tuxedo shopping. I took advantage of the time, doing my laundry and looking in the classifieds to see what jobs were hiring in the area. I really didn't see anything that caught my eye, but I knew I had to find something soon. My savings were slowly draining, going towards helping pay for food and other things around the house. Soon, I would have nothing left. Since Tommy had offered to let me use his car while he was in Europe, I even considered going outside of Angel Grove. Once the wedding was over, I was hoping to land something.

The following morning, I heard Jason moving around the house as I made my way downstairs. He was sitting at the dining room table with Zach, both sporting cups of coffee. Jason waved as he took a sip, a plate of toast in front of him as well. Trini was already gone, needing to spend time at the lab today. "Morning." I said cheerfully as I poured myself a cup of coffee.

"Morning." They replied, sounding enthralled. I rolled me eyes, sitting across from Jason.

"It's tux shopping. It's not like I'm making you spent the day with Rita Repulsa." I said.

"Is that an option? Cause I might like that better." Jason muttered. I shot him a glare, sipping my coffee.

"Oh, stop. It's not that bad. Honestly, it could be a lot worse. With such a small-time window, you guys are just going to have to find something that goes with the colors and hope it's there for everyone."

"Well, most people don't decide two weeks before the wedding day to get married." Zach stated, finishing his cup of coffee. "But, to each their own."

"Speaking of which…" Jason said, glancing around. Reaching under the table, he grabbed something from his pocket. When he pulled his hand out, he placed a black velvet ring box on the table. I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand.

"Is that what I think it is?" I asked, pointing at it. He grinned, shrugging his shoulders. Reaching across, I opened it. Inside, there was a gold banded diamond ring set in the black velvet that lined the box. The diamond was decent size, maybe five karats or so. It was round and set in six prongs, the gem shining in the sunlight that came through the window of the dining room.

"No way!" Zach exclaimed, clapping Jason on the back. "That's great, man. When are you going to ask her?"

"I was thinking after the reception when we're heading home. I thought I would stop by the beach maybe and pop the question. I've been thinking about it for a while now, but I know things have been so crazy with her finishing up the school. I just felt like now was the right time."

"Oh, she's going to be so excited!" I said, nearly squealing. "I'm so happy for you, Jason!"

"Thanks. Do you think she'll like the ring?" He asked, seeming to be a tad nervous. I nodded.

"It's very Trini. She'll love it. You did good." I closed the box and slid it towards him.

"I hope so. Don't tell anyone else, okay? I want to make sure there's no chance she's going to find out."

"No worries there. We all know we can keep a secret here." Zach said, winking in my direction. I swatted him in the arm, knowing he was referring to my secret from Tommy.

"That is true." Jason agreed. I glared at him, picking up my coffee cup.

"You two are such asses." I muttered, causing them to laugh. Jason glanced at his watch when they were done. Rolling his eyes, he shoved the rest of his toast in his mouth. He swallowed, gulping his toast.

"I suppose we should get going. The sooner we do this, the sooner we can get it over with." The three of us stood, taking care of our dishes before heading out the side door to Jason's truck that was parked in the driveway. I squeezed into the middle of the seat, the boys sitting on either side of me. It reminded me of when we would all climb into the BMW Bug that Billy owned called the Rad Bug. He had programmed and designed that thing, so it could do anything, even fly. It was small though, but we still managed to fit all six of us inside of it when the need arose for it. I could only imagine us trying to fit into it now. We would be quite the sight to see.

Jason pulled up in front of Virtullo's Tuxedo Shoppe, the only place in Angel Grove that sold tuxedos. It was owned by an elderly couple who have worked here for as long as I could remember. Their daughter was a teacher at Angel Grove and their son was in the grade before us. My father used to get his suits here when my parents were still married. It was nice to see the little story front hadn't changed any. It was still small, two large windows in the front. The building itself was covered in white siding and their name was painted on the glass door was white writing. I followed Zach out of the truck, closing the door behind me. Tommy's SUV and Rocky's jeep were parked along the curb as well. The doors of both vehicles opened, and the rest of the boys filed out. Adam was in Rocky's car and Billy stood from the SUV. Tommy smiled when he saw me, his hair pulled back in a pony tail. I returned the smile, loving the fact he was wearing a light green flannel shirt. It was one I had seen him wear a hundred times, but it still looked great on him. It seemed as if all the boys were wearing their colors; Rocky and Jason in red t-shirts, Adam and Zach in black and Billy being the lone wolf in blue. He gave me a quick hug as the four of them walked up the sidewalk towards us.

"We ready for this?" Tommy asked, looking around the group. There was a collective groan from everyone but Zach who loved shopping just as much as me.

"Come on, boys." I declared, walking over and opening the door. The six of them filed in, Jason rolling his eyes at me as he passed. Tommy grabbed the door above my head as he brought up the rear. He motioned me to walk in and I did, allowing him to follow. Inside of the store, I found our group in a small display room. To the left and right of us, there were racks filled with tuxedos and suits. Three mannequins were set up in back tuxedos, their heads missing as they posed. In front of us, there was a wall with two doors behind a counter. On the counter, there was an old school cash register and a stack of what appeared to be invoices.

"Hello!" A man's voice said as an elderly gentleman walked from one of the doors. Behind him. I could see it was a larger dressing room with more tuxes in there. "You must be the Oliver wedding party."

"That we are." Tommy said, shaking the man's hand. "It's so nice of you to try and help us, Mr. Virtullo."

"It's my pleasure. Like I told you on the phone, it might be a bit difficult but when there's a will, there's a way. Follow me!" Turning, he headed back into the room he came from. We followed after him, finding ourselves in the dressing room. There were three changing areas with a curtain blocking them on the left. On the other three walls, there were racks on racks of tuxes, jackets and vests in an assortment of colors. Mr. Virtullo stopped in the middle of the room and smiled at us. His hair was thin grey wisps on the top of his head and his eyes crinkled in the edges which made their blueness brighter.

"There's so many." Rocky said, glancing around. Mr. Virtullo nodded.

"This is true. Because of the situation, you guys are going to be limited based on availability of today. You'll need to be able to walk out with it right now. Everything on this middle wall here is final sized. They are sold as is. Most of them are black or the same shade of grey so hopefully we can find something that works and fits everyone. The bottom row is vests. I'm going to give you some space and I'll check in on you in a few minutes." He smiled before heading out the door.

"Okay." I stated, getting the guys' attention. "You know the color scheme. Kat would like everyone to wear a grey suit so try to stay within that color. If you are wearing the same color as someone else, try to get a different shade." I said, looking at Rocky, Jason, Zach and Adam. They nodded. The group broke up, half of them digging through the vests while the other half sorted through the tuxedos. Jason found four grey suits of the same shad and pulled them from the racks. Further down, Rocky found one more in his size. Jason sorted through them, finding one that would fit each groomsman. This left Tommy without a suit. I pushed through the suites, not finding another grey one like that.

"Here we are, boys." Zach said, pulling out six vests. He draped them over his arm, handing one to Rocky. It was a dark red color, resembling that of blood. Next, he gave Billy a royal blue. It made his eyes sparkle when he held it up. Adam took a dark black one while Jason was handed a cherry red vest. Turning to Tommy, Zach held up an emerald green vest. "And for the groom."

"Thanks, man." Tommy said, taking it.

"Awesome. Are we done now?" Jason asked. I shook my head.

"You need to try them on." He rolled him eyes but dragged himself into one of the dressing rooms. Rocky went into the one next to him and Zach took the last one. Billy lingered next to them, Adam and him talking. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Tommy standing by the white tuxes. They were on the farther wall, a great deal away from the grey ones. There was a frown on his face as he gazed at the tuxes. "Hey. You okay?" I asked, walking over to him. He looked surprised to hear me, tucking his hands into his pockets.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah. Just trying to find something that will fit me in a grey suit."

"These are all white, silly." I joked, smirking at him. He nodded.

"I know. I just thought they looked nice. That's all." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Do you want a white tux?" Shrugging, he bent his head to look towards his feet.

"Well…I mean, it was one of my colors and all." He murmured.

"Get one then! I think you would look dashing." Reaching up, he scratched the back of his head.

"Too bad Kat wants us all in a grey suit." He replied.

"Tommy, we've had this discussion about five times. It's your wedding too. You can't keep letting Kat control everything." I shifted so I was facing the white tuxes. Pushing some aside, one caught my eye. It was a bright, clean shade of white. The shoulders were broad, like Tommy's, and the buttons on the front were a dark black color. The pants were black, a white strip running down each pant leg. Checking the tag, I saw it was Tommy's size. Grabbed the hanger, I held it out and pushed it into his chest. "Kat is going to have to get over herself at some point."

"Amen to that!" Rocky's voice called from the changing room before emerging out. The grey suit on him looked perfect. It made his muscles look bigger and it fit him like a glove. The grey tones complimented the red of the vest and he had managed to find a red tie that matched it. "Well, what do we think?" He asked, modelling.

"It looks great!" I exclaimed.

"I'm sure I pull it off better." Zach said, stepping out. The shorter man adjusted his sleeves, the black of his vest popping against the grey.

"Boys, let me show you how it's done." A cocky Jason said before coming out. He strutted out, his hands tucked into the pockets of the suit. The brighter shade of red made me think of the red spandex he used to wear, and I had to admit that it made him look good. The three stood next to each other, admiring how they looked in the long mirror on the wall.

"Yes. Yes. Very handsome. Billy, Adam. You're next." I said. The former blue and black rangers nodded, disappearing into the dressing room. I turned an expectant eye to Tommy who was just standing there.

"What?" He asked.

"Don't you think you have something you should be doing?" I asked. He nodded, heading into the remaining changed room. A few moments later, Billy and Adam walked out. Like the rest of the group, they looked very nice in their suits. I lined them up in the order they would be standing at the alter; Jason, Billy, Zach, Rocky and Adam. Kat had stressed the importance of breaking up the reds and the blacks, thinking it would look weird having them next to each other. This was the only solution I could think of and I hoped it didn't make Adam and Rocky feel less important. Taking a step back, I Smiled at my work.

"Would you look at that!" Jason exclaimed, smiling behind me. Rocky let out a whooping sound and Zach clapped. I turned to see what they were talking about and found Tommy standing there. He looked a bit timid, standing just outside of the curtain. The white coat made his shoulders seem broader, his slender frame looking lean in it. The emerald green vest and matching tie shone against the white and the black slacks ran the entire lengths of his legs. It was as if the tux had been perfectly made for Tommy.

"I think Tommy takes the cake." Zach said, walking over and clapping him on the back. Tommy let out a nervous chuckle, shifting his eyes to look at me.

"What do you think, Kim?" He asked. I was at a loss of words. Seeming him dressed like this made me think of the what-ifs. I could almost picture him standing at the altar, waiting for his bride. Only, the bride wasn't going to be me. It was going to be someone else.

"It's perfect." I said, softly. I could feel the burning at the back of my eyes were tears tried to get through. I turned away, hoping he didn't see. "You all look great! I think we hit the jackpot here. Why don't you guys get changed and we can get out of here."

"Don't gotta tell me twice." Jason said, beelining it for the dressing rooms. The guys took turns get changed, leaving Tommy for last. He took the dressing room Jason had used, heading in when he stepped out. Jason tossed the suit over his shoulder, holding the hanger by his finger. "Gotta admit. That wasn't too bad."

"I told you so." I said, wiping my nose. He gave me a sympathetic smile.

"Easy to say for the one who doesn't have a dress yet."

"I know. I'm going tomorrow to see if I can find one. I'm going to check out that thrift store by the school. They might have something I can use." I replied. Tommy emerged from the changing room, the tux in hand.

"You don't have your dress yet?" He asked. I shook my head.

"No. Hopefully, I can find one. If not, I'll have to tell Kat I can't be in the wedding." I bent down and grabbed my purse from the floor.

"No." Tommy said, quickly. "You have to be in the wedding. I mean, after all the hard work you put into it. There's no way you can't be a part of it."

"Tommy, money is tight for me. If I can't afford it, I can't afford it. I'm sorry." I explained.

"I'll pay for it then." He shot back.

"No, you will not." The rest of the guys came out in their regular clothes. Zach led them to the front of the store, leaving Tommy in me.

"C'mon. Let me do this for you. It'll be my way to thank you for all your help."

"Tommy, you are not buying a dress for me. You have bigger things to worry about and you're spending all your money as it is. It's fine."

"I'm not spending any of my money. Kat's parents have paid for everything so far." He answered. I looked at him, shocked. A shameful expression crossed his face and he nodded. "When we told them about the engagement, they sent Kat a credit card to pay for everything. They wanted it to be perfect, so they said she could spend whatever she wanted." That explained the country club and why he had said money was no issue.

"I didn't know." I said, softly.

"No one does. It's not something I'm proud of. It's not like I don't have the money for it. My uncle paid me pretty well for the circuit this time around and my savings are good. Kat's parents just didn't think I could afford everything she wanted."

"That must have been hard to hear." Shrugging, he shifted his feet. "Look, if you want, you can come with me to go dress shopping. But you aren't buying it for me. Got it?" I pointed my finger at him. Grinning, he nodded.

"We'll see about that."


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Holy reviews, Batman! You guys are the BEST! I woke up to almost thirty reviews this morning and I gotta say, I"m loving it. As a thank you, here are two chapter. Fair warning, there is so much fluff in the next three chapter, you might be able to sleep on it. :) I hope you like them! As always, please R&R and don't hesitate to PM me!

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Chapter Twenty-Six

After paying for the tuxes, we all went our separate ways. Tommy and Billy left, saying they had something they were working on. Rocky and Adam headed off to the dojo for Rocky's classes. Jason dropped me off at home before heading to the dojo himself. This left me with some free time in which I cleaned the whole house and made dinner for Trini and Jason. It made me feel like I was able to contribute to the house somehow. When they came home, they were surprised to see I had cooked. It wasn't anything major; spaghetti and meatballs. I wasn't a cook like Trini, but we still sat and ate. We talked about old times and what we were planning to do after the wedding was over.

That night, I had dreams about the wedding. Each dream, I was standing at the back of the Youth Center and watching Tommy get married. In one of the dreams, he even married Rita Repulsa. The dreams left me feeling restless the next morning, but it was nothing a shower didn't cure. Jason and Trini were gone for the day but were nice enough to leave me some donuts on the counter and fresh coffee. I made myself a cup and ate a donut while flipping through the paper. I eyed the classified section, looking to see if there were any jobs that fit me. Sadly, there were none, but it didn't make me feel down. I felt like I knew something was coming my way and that it would work out. I wasn't sure about this new sense of positivity or where it came from, but I was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

Taking care of my dishes, I grabbed my bag and left the house. It was warm outside but not to the point of being unbearable yet. People were outside, taking advantage of the nice day as I walked up the street. Tommy had offered to pick me up, but I told him he could just meet me at the thrift store. I didn't want to give him the chance to surprise me by going to a store to buy a new dress. I knew him and how he works. This was the safer option. Though, I had to admit that it was nice having him offer to buy me a dress. And sweet. It showed just what type of person he was. The reason why I was in love with him so much. He hadn't changed at all.

I was still having an issue wrapping my head around all the new information about Kat that I had. I never would have seen her as the type of person everyone was telling me she was. From turning down the engagement ring to telling Tommy his brother couldn't be the officiant of the wedding, it seemed like she didn't care about what he wanted as long as she got the wedding of her dreams. And the cheating? That one was the most shocking of it all. She had Tommy, the one thing I would kill for in this life, and she betrayed him in the worst way. It was far worse than what I had done to him and yet, she was the one marrying him. It blew my mind to think that it could be me if I had just told him how I felt a year ago. None of that mattered now. She would be home tomorrow, the wedding her parents spent a small fortune on happening Saturday. But, at least him and I were friends again. It was at least something I could live with.

Opening the front door of Mary Ellen's Thrift Store, I was greeted with the soft smell of lavender. It came from the flowers perched on a table in the middle of the room. Around me, there were racks and racks of clothes lined up based on who they were for. Kids were on the left, men on the right and women in the middle. In the back corner, there was a place for used toys and then across from that was a corner filled with shoes. At the front of the store, there was a counter with a cash register. A middle-aged woman stood behind it who I recognized as Mrs. Appleby, our former history teacher from Angel Grove High School.

"Kimberly! It's so nice to see you." The bigger woman said, her brown hair looking greyer than it had when I had last seen her. Her kind eyes shined when she smiled at me and she came out from behind the counter to hug me.

"Mrs. Appleby, how are you?" I asked as she pulled away.

"I'm great. And you?"

"Fine. I just moved back to town. What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Well, my mother owned the store but when she died, I took over. I retired from the school and this is where I'm spending my golden years. I'm so glad you are back in town. What can I help you for?"

"I'm trying to find a dress to wear to a wedding." I explained. The door of the store opened, and Tommy stepped inside, water dripping from the top of his head. His dark red t-shirt was soaked on the shoulders and I could hear the sound of rain as the door shut behind him.

"It's pouring out there." He said, wiping rain from his eyes. I frowned.

"Really? It was just sunny as could be!"

"Not anymore."

"Hello, Tommy!" Mrs. Appleby said, smiling at him. He returned the gesture, shaking the water from his ponytail.

"Hi, Mrs. Appleby. It's nice to see you again."

"You too! The big day is coming up, huh? Are you excited?" She asked. I was slightly confused by this. She knew about the wedding? How chummy was he with our old teacher? I mean, it would make sense with him staying here in Angel Grove.

"Getting there. Once our whole bridal party has their clothes, I will feel better." He shot a smirk at me which I returned with a glare.

"I guess we will have to see what we have here! What color are we looking for?" She asked, walking up the middle aisle of the store. I followed, looking at the racks of dresses next to us.

"Pink. Size 4." I replied. Mrs. Appleby stopped in a section of dresses where there were red and pink ones. There seemed to be ten different shades of pink, each looking puffy and made of fabric that Aisha would classify as "old lady material." She grabbed three dresses that I assumed were my size and smiled at me.

"Follow me!" She headed to the back where there was a small area for a fitting room. There was a chair set up across from the small room and Tommy sat down. Stepping into the room, Mrs. Appleby hung the dresses on a hook before stepping out to look at me. "You try these on and hopefully, we'll have a winner!"

"Thanks." I handed my bag to Tommy who took it. Walking inside, I shut the door behind me. The first dress was a bright pink, taffeta looking nightmare. The sleeves were puffed out and there was a large bow on the back of it. I pulled my shorts and t-shirt off, stepping into the dress. Walking out, I let my arms fall to my sides. Tommy snorted, doing his best to not laugh at me.

"Well…um…" Mrs. Appleby said, smiling.

"Nope. Not happening." I replied, shaking my head.

"It brings out your eyes." Tommy said, shrugging his shoulders. I glared at him before disappearing inside of the dressing room. I pulled it off quickly, putting it back on the hanger. I set it aside, looking at the next one. This one was a lighter pink with a tulle skirt. Pulling it over my head, it took me a minute to find the hole through all of the layers of fabric. When I finally managed to, I pulled the short sleeves over my shoulders. It wasn't bad. The top was a silk like material but almost went to my throat. It rubbed my neck, making me feel like someone was trying to choke me. The bottom stuck out on all sides, making my ass look like it should have its own orbit.

"You gotta be kidding me." I whispered before walking out.

"Oh! This one is nice." Mrs. Appleby said. Tommy shook his head behind her, grinning at me.

"I feel like a circus tent." I retorted.

"You look like a circus tent." Tommy stated. I grabbed my flip flop from the floor of the room and chucked it at his head. He caught it before it made contact, laughing as I disappeared back into the changing room. I put this dress with the other one, turning to look at the last one. It was the worst of the three, a magenta mess with thick straps.

"I'm not even going to put this on." I called out. "Is there anything else?"

"Let me check. I don't think so though." She answered. I heard her walk away.

"I don't know, Tommy. If we don't find anything…" I trailed off.

"I told you. Just let me buy you a dress. It's no big deal." His voice said. I heard the chair creak, telling me he had shifted in his seat.

"It's a big deal to me." I replied, looking at my reflection in the mirror. Mrs. Appleby's footsteps returned.

"We are in luck! There's one more." I opened the door a crack and she handed me a short dress. I gasped when I saw it. It was beautiful, something that I would have picked out on my own if I had gone to the mall or something.

"Oh wow!" I said, taking it off the plastic hanger and stepping into it. The entire dress was a soft pink lace. It was fitted, hugging my curves in the right places. The top of the dress had a heart shaped neck line and was strapless. I loved this dress. It was cute and perfect. It was hard to believe someone would donate this to a thrift store.

"Well, let's see it." Tommy said. I unlocked the door and made my way out. Smiling, I closed the door and faced the two of them. Mrs. Appleby smiled brightly, clasping her hands together.

"Oh, would you look at you! You look beautiful, Kimberly." She said. At the front of the store, a phone rang. "I'll be right back." She shuffled her way up the racks towards the register. I shifted to face Tommy who was looking at me with an expression of awe.

"What?" I asked. "Don't you like it?"

"I do." He replied, standing. He set my bag on the chair and took a step towards me. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks." I said, feeling a blush fill my cheeks. Something suddenly poked me in the side, under my left armpit.

"I think that dress suits you perfectly." He said as I reached to see what it was. My fingers touched a price tag and I saw the Bloomingdale's logo on it. The price was also there as well, $175.

"Yeah? Is that why you bought it?" I asked, glaring up at him. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Next time, take the tag off of it." I said, turning and heading into the dressing room. I slammed the door shut, locking it.

"Kim, please don't be mad. I saw the dress this morning when I went shopping for dress socks for the guys and thought it would be perfect for you. I knew if I told you about it, you never would have let me buy it." He said through the door as I leaned against it on the other side.

"Exactly! I didn't want your charity! It's bad enough I have to mooch off Trini and Jason because I don't have the money for my own place. I don't need you buying me a dress too."

"Can't you just think of it as a gift or something?" He asked. "I wasn't trying to make you feel like a charity case. I just wanted to do something nice for you after everything that you've been through."

"It's not your job to do that." I said, opening the door. "I gotta try to make it on my own. Everyone needs to stop acting like I'm this fragile thing that needs to be taken care of." I crossed my arms over my chest and he looked at me with a guilty expression. "I'm not that same girl anymore, Tommy."

"I know. I'm sorry if you feel that I'm treating you that way. I really just wanted to make sure you would be able to be a part of our wedding. You are one of the most important people in my life. I need you to be a part of this for me." Reaching over, he put his hands on my shoulders.

"I'm not mad." I said, looking up at him. "I guess it just makes me feel like I'm not amounting up to anything important."

"Well, you're important to me." He said, softly. He lifted his hand and gently stroked my cheek. I felt the air in my lungs vanish as he touched me. He was so close. Was he going to kiss me? My back was against the door, so I couldn't move. His face lingered towards mine and I was afraid to breathe. Everything in me begged for him to just lean in and fill the gap between us. It would make things so much more complicated, but I didn't give a damn.

"Tommy, I-."

"Sorry about that!" Mrs. Appleby said, barging back into our area. Tommy jumped back, turning to face her. The air returned to my lungs as I finally breathed in. She smiled at the both of us as if she hadn't just interrupted something. Was it something? I had no fucking idea. "What do you think? Is this the one?"

"She knows." Tommy said. "She found the tag. I forgot to take it off."

"Oh, no. Well, it does look lovely on you, Kimberly. You're lucky to have a friend like Tommy. You're going to make a beautiful bridesmaid."

"Thank you." I managed to say.

"If you'd like, I can see if we have any shoes to match it." I nodded. She turned and walked towards the area where the shoes are.

"You're going to keep the dress?" He asked, gazing down at me. I gave him a small nod.

"Yeah. I know you meant well, and I shouldn't have blown up on you like that." I replied. "Thank you, Tommy."

"Don't mention it. I actually have something else for you as well." I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"You're terrible." I muttered. He reached into his pocket and checked to see where Mrs. Appleby was. She was still sorting through shoes, trying to find the perfect pair. From his pocket, he pulled something silver out. Holding out his hand, he took my left wrist and slid something on to it. When he let go, I saw it was a communicator. My old communicator to be exact. I could tell it was from my initials, KAH, carved into the side of it by the button. The pink on the strap was chipped here or there but it was still shiny, like it had been polished. "How did you…" I trailed off.

"You said you wished you had something to remember your time as a Ranger. Billy helped me find it. It wasn't easy, but it was there. He's the one who fixed it though. You might want to thank him."

"I don't know what to say." I said, admiring it. It was a lot lighter than I remembered and I could almost hear Alpha or Zordon calling from it.

"And you know what the best part is?" He asked. Glancing up at him, I shrugged. Reaching into his other pocket, he pulled the one out he had used to call Billy before. Pressing the button on the side, mine chimed out those familiar beeps. I gasped.

"It works?!" I asked. He nodded, beaming.

"Billy programmed it to work with ours. So now, whenever you want to talk to him when he returns to Aquitar, you can. And if you want to talk to me while I'm in London, you can. Just without the long-distance charges. What do you think?" He asked.

"Thank you." I said, jumping up and giving him a tight hug. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he squeezed his around my waist.

"Now, I can always be there for you when you need me." He whispered.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

After our moment at the thrift store, Tommy and I awkwardly got into his truck. My dress was safely tucked in a bag in the back seat, a pair of shoes with them that Mrs. Appleby nicely gave me. It seemed I was all set for the wedding, something that did not make me happy in the slightest. Now, sitting here in silence, I thought about what just happened. Or what had almost happened in there. I could have sworn he was going to kiss me. He had leaned in so close and was touching my face. What the hell was that? I knew I wasn't imagining it either. My heart quickened at the thought of him kissing me. I wouldn't have objected in the slightest, making me the world's worst person. Not that Kat didn't deserve it after cheating on Tommy. The thought still made me angry, so I shoved it aside. I still had no clue how I was going to be able to see her without bringing it up.

"Are you hungry?" Tommy asked, breaking me from my neurotic string of thoughts. Turning to face him, I shrugged.

"Are you?"

"I could eat."

"Okay. Let's get some lunch. My treat though. And don't fight me on it." I said, pointing a finger at him. He chuckled, nodding. Bringing the SUV to life, he pulled away from the curb and started up the street.

"How about that little diner on the edge of town? Johnny's?"

"That place is still open?" I asked. "Damn. Didn't Goldar flatten it once?"

"Sure did. It's amazing how insurance will cover damages after a battle in Angel Grove. I believe Billy's father said it was called a 'Power Ranger' clause." I snorted.

"Shut up. Do they really have that?" He shrugged.

"My car insurance has something in it about paying for monster attacks. It just might be a real thing." We both laughed, the tension in the car from before melting away. Tommy drove for a few minutes, pulling in the parking lot of a small building. It was about the shape of a modular home, blue siding on the outside. Small windows ran the length of it and a large sign that said Johnny's Diner was plastered on the front above the porch that led inside. I grabbed my purse before climbing out, smiling at the communicator on my wrist. I unclasped it, shoving it inside so no one would see it. I wasn't worried about anyone in public. I was more concerned about our friends. If they saw a communicator, they would want to know where it came from and I didn't want to give away Tommy's secret collection.

I followed Tommy inside of the diner, seeing it set up like a 1950's burger joint. Red and white checkered tile was on the floor, matching the red of the booths. On the walls, there were records and pictures of old movie stars. A counter ran the length of the room where older men sat drinking coffee. A woman with bright red hair smiled at us behind the counter, a pot of coffee in hand. "Hey, kids. Just take a seat anywhere and I'll be with ya in a minute." She called, disappearing through a set of swinging doors to what I assumed was a kitchen. Tommy motioned to an open booth in the back and I nodded. He let me go first and I walked towards it, sliding into the closest side to the door. He sat across from me, tucking his long legs under the table. The woman appeared a few seconds later, setting two red colored menus on the table in front of us. "My name is Angie. What can I get you to drink?"

"I'll take a diet coke." I said, smiling at her. She nodded, not even writing it down. She glanced at Tommy.

"Water, please." He replied.

"Sure thing. I'll be right back." I glared at Tommy as she walked away.

"You could get a drink that isn't free, Tommy." I stated.

"I don't do the soda thing. Besides, water is good for the body." I went to object, but Angie returned with our drinks. She set the glasses on the table, straws next to them.

"Okay. Today, we have a cheeseburger special for $4, the soup of the day is cheddar broccoli and we have meatloaf. What'll it be?" She asked. I felt like an idiot. I hadn't even opened the menu since I was bitching at him about a drink.

"I'll just take a chef salad." I said, sliding the menu away from me. This time, she jotted it down.

"What kind of dressing?"

"Italian, please."

"Okay. What about you?" She asked, facing Tommy.

"Cheeseburger and fries sound good." He answered, putting his menu on mine. She wrote his order down before scooping up our menus. She walked away, heading back up the counter. Tommy set his hands on the table, leaning forward. "So, what are your plans for after the wedding?"

"Finding a job, I guess." I answered. "I mean, I know I'm helping Jason out at the dojo, but I think an actual paying job might be nice."

"Have you seen anything that you might want to do?"

"No. It's slim pickings."

"What about the youth center?" He asked. "Jason is looking for someone to give classes and everything. Why couldn't it be you?"

"Because I have no experience in running something like that. He would need someone who would know how to take care of a business and finances."

"Yeah but you know how to do that. You've been doing it at the dojo and you did it for your aunt. I think you would be great at it. You could even teach gymnastics there too."

"I know Jason said something about that but not about running everything. I wouldn't want him to just give me the job because he feels sorry for my poor ass." I took a sip of my soda, flicking the straw with my finger as I set it down.

"You know he wouldn't do it because of that. I think you should highly consider it. At least temporarily until you find something else."

"I'll think about it. What about you? I know you said something about the racing circuit and everything but what's next? Are you going to do racing for a living?" He shook his head, leaning back.

"Nah. It's good for right now and it pays well but I need something that isn't a risk to my health. I've actually been thinking of going to school for something. Paleontology, actually." My eyes widened, surprised.

"Paleontology? Got a thing for dinosaurs?" I grinned. He laughed, nodding.

"Apparently. I just feel that with everything I learned about them during our time serving, it's something I'm really interested in. I actually got into college here for it but then we found out about Kat's ballet thing."

"You were accepted for college? That's great, Tommy! Why don't you just go to school while she is in London? You could've gotten married after you were done." He frowned.

"Honestly? I was nervous about sending her back to London alone. After what happened the last time she went, I wasn't sure if I would be able to have a long-distance relationship with her. I guess the lack of trust was a big issue in the whole thing."

"I understand that. If we're being honest here, I'm actually surprised that you took her back after the affair." I crossed my arms and leaned them on the table. "I get why you did though. But, what kind of relationship are you going to have where you aren't going to be sure you can trust her each time she heads to work?"

"I know." He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Sometimes, I think I'm making a mistake marrying her. Other times, I can see clear as day why I'm doing this. I care for her, a lot. She's such a sweet person when she wants to be, and she's been there for me. Even though she messed up, I know she deserves to be with someone who can make her happy. I'm going to try my hardest to be that person." It stung, hearing him say these words but I hid the pain. At that moment, our food arrived. Angie slid our plates on the table before heading back to the counter again. He grabbed the ketchup from the edge of the table, pouring some on his burger and fries.

"What time does she get in tomorrow?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Around ten. Her parents changed their flight and are coming around the same time." He rolled his eyes at this, popping a fry in his mouth.

"Oh, yes. The mother in law. I've heard stories. What is she like?"

"Sandra wouldn't be that bad if she would just change her tone when she speaks to people. Kat's family is rich, you know that. Sandra just thinks it makes her better than everyone else. I'm going to guess you heard about the Aisha thing."

"Yup." I replied, pouring dressing on my salad.

"That's the perfect example. I don't know if it's normal down there, but she comes off as a bitch more than anything. Everything needs to be her way or no way. It's exactly why Kat is the way she is. She even demanded that I cut my hair before the wedding." I nearly choked on the bite I had in my mouth. I took a sip of my soda to wash it down.

"What? She wanted you to cut your hair? That's insane."

"I know! That's the one thing I told Kat I wouldn't do."

"Well, at least we know you'll stand up to her about something." I said, winking at him.

"I know. I know. I just don't want to hear it any more sometimes. But, you will see Sandra in her full glory tomorrow at the rehearsal. They want to treat everyone to dinner afterwards as well."

"That should be fun."

"Not sure that's the word I would use though. What did you girls have planned for Friday night? I think I know what the guys have planned." He bit into his burger covering his mouth with a napkin as he chewed.

"Kat wants an alcohol-free tea party." I responded flatly. He raised an eyebrow at me, taking a drink of his water.

"A what?" He asked once his mouth was cleared.

"A tea party but without a drop of alcohol."

"Oh, that's evil. It's cause of her mother though. She can't stand drinking."

"So, I've heard. That's what we're doing though. I'm sneaking alcohol in if it kills me. I'm sure I can smuggle in a couple bottles of vodka in my purse when no one is looking."

"You're still a fan of vodka, huh?" He asked, grinning at me. "As I recall, someone swore they would never drink it again after spending all night puking in my backyard." I laughed.

"That's because you guys let me drink almost a whole bottle to myself!"

"No, you kept sneaking some when we weren't looking. Even after we took it away from you." He replied. "You had it hidden under the table where you were sitting. It took three of us to get it away from you."

"Oh. I don't really recall much of that night. Just that your parents weren't home, and it was just supposed to be us until everyone else crashed the party."

"Naturally." He muttered. "When didn't they? It was like Rocky had a homing beacon on that would tell him when we were trying to have alone time or something. He's almost seen me naked so many times, it's not even funny."

"I always told you to lock the door." I scolded, finishing my salad.

"My mind was preoccupied on other things to remember something like that."

"Because you had a one-track mind."

"Not my fault. I had you. It was all I cared about." He drank the rest of his water, setting the empty glass on the table. "Teenaged love comes with its perks."

"It sure did." I said, giving him a small smile.

"Was it like that with Matt too?" He asked softly. I shook my head.

"No. We never went that far. I wouldn't even let him try." Tommy looked surprised by my answer. "What? Against popular opinion, I wasn't whoring it up in Florida."

"I just always figured…never mind. I didn't mean anything by it."

"It's fine, Tommy. It's not a big deal." Sighing, I felt the question on my lips I wanted to ask. I shouldn't though. If I wanted to get any sleep ever again, I shouldn't ask this question. "Did you and Kat…" I trailed off. "Never mind. Dumb question." My cheeks flushed as I turned away from him.

"No." He said, his voice cracking slightly. "She wanted to wait til marriage."

"Til the affair?" He nodded.

"Yeah. I guess all morals flew out the window in London. She stuck by it though once we decided to get married. She said it would make it more special."

"So…you haven't since…"

"Nope. Have you?" I shook my head.

"No. Not with anyone." Silence fell between us at the topic at hand. I was a bit surprised to hear he hadn't slept with Kat. I had thought for sure that he would have. I mean, we weren't kids now and I wasn't naïve enough to believe they weren't. But hearing it from him made something in my chest tingle. I couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was. All I knew was that it was different from the way I usually felt around him. It made my hands clammy and my heart thunder in my chest.

"Here's your check!" Angie said, breaking the heated tension between the two of us. I sighed in relief, taking the slip of paper from her while she took our plates. I pulled a twenty from my purse, leaving it on the table.


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: This by far has been my favorite chapter to write! I hope you guys enjoy it. I just wanted to dedicate it to HighffelFlower because I instantly thought of you when I finished it and what your reaction might be. As always, thank you for all of your reviews and support. Remember to R&R!

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Chapter Twenty-Eight

Tommy dropped me back off at home, saying he wouldn't be able to hang out tonight due to having to pick up Kat and her family early in the morning. He lingered when he left though, our goodbye taking twenty minutes longer than it needed to. When he finally drove away, I found a stupid smile on my face. I wasn't sure why it was there. Okay. Maybe I did know why. Maybe it was a great feeling knowing I was the last and only person Tommy Oliver has ever had sex with. It was something Kat couldn't say, and it made me nearly explode with something. I was half convinced it was pride. It was like I had won something over Kat. It was a part of Tommy I still had, even if it was only for a couple more days. It was still something and it was enough for my clingy side to grasp on to. It might be pathetic, but I'll take it.

Jason and Trini came home at the same time, Jason carrying a pizza in with him. We ate and then Zach and Adam stopped by. We enjoyed some time by the pool, talking about nothing important. Adam had heard from some music executives that Zach had helped him get demo tapes to. They were talking about giving his band a chance. The excitement on his face when he told us about it was shining brightly. Every now and then, Jason would fiddle with his pocket where I knew the ring was. It was killing me knowing Jason had a ring to propose. It made me kind of excited for the wedding. I knew Trini would be surprised and I was happy for the both of them. A part of me wanted to warn Billy about it beforehand. I didn't want him to be blindsided by it like I had been with Kat and Tommy. It wasn't something I would wish on my worst enemy. Billy was going through enough with his issues with his wife and his undying love for Trini. I made a mental note to tell him about it later.

After Adam and Zach left, Jason and Trini headed to bed while I opted to sit out back by the fire for a bit longer. I wasn't ready to go to bed yet, even though we all needed to be up early to decorate the youth center. We had decided to set it up tomorrow instead of Friday since we would have so much to do that day as it was. Plus, we wanted to make sure it was perfect looking when Kat's parents arrived. Tommy was worried about them judging it too harshly. I felt like they would any way based off what I heard about her mother. Zach would also be setting up sound equipment and doing a practice run through with some of the songs. Adam was also going to be helping out, covering when Zach needed a break. I was still assigned the first dance song, however. It made me want to vomit still but it is what it is, I suppose.

Taking a long sip from the wine glass in my hand, I thought of Billy. I should let him know about the proposal now while I still had time. Getting up, I found my purse on the back porch and pulled my communicator from it. I settled back into my lawn chair, snuggling into the hoodie I had on. I pressed the button like I had when I was a teenager while I brought it to my lips. "Billy?" I asked. I waited for a minute, nothing happening. "Billy? Are you awake?" I listened for a response. There was some static and a chirp.

"He doesn't have his communicator." Tommy's voice answered. "He left it on Aquitar. Why are you awake?"

"Well…why are you?" I questioned. My head swam with a small buzz, something I hoped I wouldn't regret in the morning.

"I was trying to sleep when the communicator went off. Almost tried to morph for a minute." I giggled, folding my legs under me. "What are you doing?"

"Trini and Jase went to bed so I'm sitting around the fire, drinking wine."

"Alone?" He asked.

"Well, yeah. Who else would be here? I know with all the company I keep outside of you guys, I can be quite the social butterfly." I replied.

"Sorry I couldn't hang out tonight. I thought I would get some sleep, but I don't think it's going to happen. Too much on my mind."

"Anything I can help you with?" I asked.

"Nah. It's stuff I gotta deal with." Around me, the sound of crickets chirping echoed and the fire crackled in front of me.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Nope. How was the rest of your night?" I shifted, pulling my knees up to my chest.

"It was okay. Adam and Zach were here for a bit. Nothing special. You?"

"I finished packing and made sure Kat's parents hotel was reserved. I know. Don't be too jealous." He laughed, his laughter making my chest warm. I had forgotten how much I loved it.

"I can see why you ditched me now." I said.

"Why were you trying to get ahold of Billy? Just looking to talk to someone?"

"No. I just had to ask him a question about something. That's all. I can just talk to him tomorrow about it. I should probably let you get some sleep."

"I'm wide awake. It's not going to happen any time soon. Did you want to go to sleep?" I picked up the bottle of wine that was propped up against the chair. It was still half full, the liquid splashing around.

"There's still wine to be drank. If I'm going to be hungover tomorrow, I'm at least going to make it worth my while tonight."

"Alright then. I guess with that settled, what shall we do?"

"Do you remember when we first started dating and we would sneak phone calls to each other at like midnight after our parents went to bed?" I asked, leaning against the arm of the chair. I kept my communicator in front of me, so he could hear me, and I could hear him.

"Yeah. Do you remember the night your mom caught us? I thought for sure my ass was grass."

"She was so mad!" I exclaimed. "She lectured me for a good hour for that one. I think she was madder about the fact it was a school night than the fact it was you. Of course, she almost believed it was Aisha until someone had to cough."

"Sorry! I didn't know how to make it sound girly enough." We both laughed, mine drifting into the night sky above. Stars twinkled down, and the moon was just a small crescent when I saw it looming in the sky.

"I remember when we found out it was you under Rita's spell. Do you?" I asked softly.

"Yeah. You tried talking sense into me at the youth center and I told you I was going to kill you." He replied. "It's something I still think about a lot."

"I knew you were still in there. It made me sick to think that she was doing that to you. You didn't deserve to have that happen to you and I wanted to save you so much."

"And you guys did. The Sword of Darkness was destroyed, and I was able to join the team. One of the best days of my life." I heard the smile in his voice as he spoke.

"What are some of the other best days?" I asked. I heard muffled movement on his side and I wondered where in his apartment he was sitting.

"Well, one of them would be that day you found me in the park." A blush filled my cheeks as I smiled at his response. I wouldn't be surprised if I was glowing, my cheeks feeling so hot. I chalked it up to the alcohol as I poured more into my empty glass.

"I don't believe I recall that day." I said, gulping the wine.

"Oh, really? 'We miss you, Tommy. I miss you.'" He said, mimicking my voice. "I can recall it quite vividly."

"Tell me about it then. Refresh my memory." I was amazing myself at my boldness. I knew it was the wine this time. There was no way in hell I would be acting like this without it.

"Let's see. I was running through my kata when this little brunette in pink came walking over. She gave me these little puppy dog eyes and told me she loved me. And then I kissed her. I'm sure it was the best kiss in her life, by the way. She then agreed to go to some dance that weekend."

"I did not give you puppy dog eyes!" I laughed. "And I didn't tell you I loved you. All I said was that I missed you and then you kissed me. I'm not sure where you got love out of that, Mr. Green Ranger."

"Well, was I wrong? You did tell me once you were gawking at me at the karate tournament when I first moved here."

"Why do I tell you things?" I muttered. "I'm not even going to touch on the best kiss in my life, either. What's your other best days?"

"The day I got the Tiger Zord powers. I was happy to be back on the team. I missed fighting with you guys and it made me jealous my girlfriend was kicking ass while I failed at chemistry like a normal teenager."

"I fainted that afternoon. The floor of the Command Center was hard, too." He laughed, and I could almost see him shaking his head.

"It wasn't quite the response I was expecting, that's for sure."

"Keep them coming." I said as I leaned back in the chair. The fire was beginning to die but I didn't want to get up from my chair to add more wood to it. It was stacked neatly by the garage.

"Why just me? I wanna hear some of your good days. Give me one."

"Alright. The day you asked me to be your girlfriend was one." I replied. "I was sitting at our spot in the park by the water. I had just gotten into the worst fight with my father. It was when I knew their marriage was done for. You found me there and asked me if I would let you call me your girlfriend. I don't know why but just the way that you did it was so sweet to me. You weren't asking for much more than that and yet, it still felt like more to me. I don't know. It's sappy but it was a happy day for me."

"Okay. That's one. Give me two more so we can be even." I thought for a moment.

"There was that day when my mom let me stay here in Angel Grove when she moved to Paris. I was so scared she would make me go and I would need to leave the team. I was more worried about leaving you though. But, then she said I could stay with Aisha and all was right in the world."

"One more." He said.

"Umm…" I trailed off as I thought. The images of him and I rolling around the sheets of his uncle's cabin came to mind and my cheeks burned. "I can't think of any."

"You liar. I can tell you are thinking of one right now. Just tell me."

"Okay. My last night in Angel Grove." I replied. "The night we spent in your uncle's cabin."

"That was going to be my next answer too." He said. The feeling from the diner in my chest returned and I realized what it was. Talking about my sex life with Tommy was turning me on, something that hasn't occurred in a long time. I adjusted in my seat, trying to decide what to say next. "Kim? You still there?"

"Yeah. Just refilling my glass." I lied. "So, is that all your good days?"

"I suppose I'll have another one on Saturday." He stated. I frowned, not wanting to remember.

"It's never too late to add good days, Tommy. I'm sure we will have more together. In fact, this might be one of them."

"You think so?"

"Yeah. And then, when we're old, we are going to have so many good days to remember that we aren't even going to think about the bad ones."

"What's your worst day?" He asked. It didn't happen yet, I thought to myself and I fought to keep it in. Shaking my head, I took a sip.

"The day of my accident." I lied. "It was the karma wakeup call I needed, and it sucked."

"You think it was karma?"

"I do. I think it was the universe's way of getting back to me for what I did to you."

"Kim, you can't keep kicking yourself about the letter. I wasn't much help in that situation, either. I could have tried to talk you out of it or tried to fight for us. Instead, I just wallowed in it until I said yes to Kat. Stop hating yourself."

"I can't help it sometimes." I whispered. "I ruined everything."

"No, you didn't. Believe me." My head was really swimming now. "If I forgive you, you have to forgive yourself."

"You…forgive me?" I asked, my voice just above a whisper.

"Of course, I do. We were just kids, trying to make the impossible work. You thought you were doing the right thing. Maybe you were. All we can do now is work on who we are now."

"Have you been drinking?" I asked, earning a laugh from him. "I mean, I may be drunk but you are making way too much sense right now." I drained my glass, noticing there was only about half a glass left in the bottle. I set the glass on the ground in front of the chair and drank straight from the bottle, my lips wrapping around the opening.

"I think you are drunk. Do I need to come over there and make sure you're okay?" No, I thought. There were other reasons I would like him to come over and none of them involved making sure I was okay.

"I'm fine. It's a short walk to the backdoor. I think I can manage it."

"Okay." He said, sounding a little deflated.

"Unless you wanted to come over." I added, the liquid courage poking through again. "We could meet up at the park or something."

"I don't think you are in any condition to walk anywhere, Miss Hart." I scoffed.

"I think I can manage to walk somewhere even when I'm drunk."

"So, you just want to sneak out in the middle of the night to meet by the pond? Doesn't that make me feel sixteen again."

"Right? But this time, we have no parents to worry about."

"You do." He chuckled. "You have Jase and Trini. Both of them would be on your ass before you would make it out of the driveway." Sighing, I nodded my head even though he couldn't see me.

"I know. Jason is proposing by the way." I replied. "Don't tell anyone though."

"Really? That's great! Good for him. When?"

"After the reception. He's going to take her to the beach and do it. Isn't that romantic?" I sighed, smiling at the thought. Trini was a lucky girl.

"It is. Jason has been thinking for a while now. He told me about it around the time Kat and I decided. I'm glad he's actually going to do it with an actual proposal. He's not very good with the romance thing. I'm really surprised he didn't ask for help planning it."

"From who? You?"

"Hey. I had a great proposal planned out for you when I was going to ask you to marry me. I planned it for like three months. Can't say I'm not romantic."

"Well," I said, drinking from my wine bottle. "Tell me about it then!"

"What?"

"Tell me about your planned proposal. What would you have done?" I heard him sigh and shift on his end.

"It would have started with a nice dinner at the place we went to for our first date. Then, we would have went for a walk around Angel Grove where we would have ended up at the park. When we got to our little spot, there would have been a dozen or so candles lit everywhere. I would have told you that I loved you with all of my heart and that no matter what, I wanted you to be the person I spent the rest of my life with. I would have pulled out the ring box and showed you the ring inside while I ducked down to one knee. Then, I would have looked up at you and asked, 'Will you marry me?' It's not much but it's what I had planned." I felt tears brim my eyes as he talked. It would have been perfect, something I would have loved and been completely shocked by.

"That would have been perfect." I whispered. "Jason should ask you for advice."

"Maybe I'll become a professional proposal planner. Is that a thing?" I smiled, running my fingers through my hair.

"You could be the first. You plan the proposals and I'll plan the weddings. Totally could go into business together."

"Hard to do when I'll be on the other side of the globe." He said, sounding depressed.

"Do you even want to go to London?" I asked, finishing the bottle off. I let it fall into the grass by my feet. It made a hollow thump noise when it hit. It was silent on his end, him not responding. "Tommy?"

"Did you want to talk to Billy because of Jason proposing?" He asked, surprising me.

"What do you mean?" I replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

"I know about Billy liking Trini." He explained. "Were you trying to warn him about it?"

"Yes." I confessed. "I didn't want him to get blindsided by it when it happens. He shouldn't have to go through what-." I stopped talking, knowing I was veering towards saying too much.

"Kim? You cut out."

"It's nothing." I said quickly. "You should get some sleep. Morning will be coming sooner than you think."

"True. You sound tired too. I'm sure you'll be feeling it tomorrow."

"Oh, that's for sure." That all too familiar silence fell between us for a moment before Tommy cleared his throat.

"Kim?" He asked.

"Yeah, Tommy?" I replied.

"Never mind. I'll talk to you in the morning. Good night."

"Night."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Oh my god, I think I'm dying." I moaned, laying across the back seat of Trini's car the next morning. I had woken up with the alarm, feeling the full effects of a wine hangover as I rolled out of bed. Thankfully, my stomach didn't feel like death, but it did feel like a two-year-old was playing with pots and pans inside my skull. It didn't help matters that Jason kept making as many loud noises as possible when he could. He was getting quite the kick out of my misery and I made a silent vow to kill him once I could function as a human.

"Serves you right drinking a whole winery once we went to bed." Trini said over her shoulder from the passenger seat.

"It was one bottle. It's nothing I haven't done before."

"It was one giant bottle and you are the size of a dwarf." Jason called, looking at me in the rearview mirror. I flipped him off, a laugh coming from him. I felt the car shift as he took a left and there was a bump that nearly knocked me on the floor. "Oops." He said. I knew he had done that on purpose. The car came to a jerking stop, him putting it in park.

"Remind me to beat you later." I mumbled, pulling myself up so I was sitting. Out the window, I saw we were in the parking lot of the Youth Center. Trini and him climbed out and slowly, I followed suit. I adjusted my pink flower jumper as I walked behind them. Since Kat's parents were coming in today, we were going to set up the reception area this morning. It was going to be a big task and I was regretting the hangover on my part. It was a stupid idea to do this to myself.

"I might have aspirin here." Jason said, unlocking the backdoor. He pushed it open, walking into the dimly lit room. Flipping on the lights, I winced from the brightness. "Sorry." He said, grinning in my direction.

"Leave her alone, Jase." Trini warned, walking towards the table in the corner. "Alright, Kim. You're the leader in this mission."

"Perfect." I sighed. "The tables need to be set up four across and three up. Each table needs six chairs."

"Okay." Jason said. I went to help him grab a table when a loud whooping noise came from the door. I winced, the noise echoing in my skull as Adam, Aisha, Rocky and Zach came in the back door. Rocky was the one making the intolerable noise and I covered my ears as he continued.

"Let's get this party started!" He exclaimed, smiling at us. I shot him a glare, slamming a chair with my hip. "What?"

"Kim's got a hangover." Jason explained, putting a hand on Rocky's shoulder.

"Ohhh. So, I shouldn't do this?" Rocky asked, pounding on the table. The sound vibrated around my brain and I moaned.

"Stop it, you ass." Aisha hissed, slapping her boyfriend on the arm. She dug through her bag that hung from her shoulder. "Let me see if I have some aspirin."

"I'll feel better if you let me kill him." I said, gesturing to Rocky. The group laughed as Jason signaled the guys over towards the table.

"Anytime. I think you're out of luck on the aspirin though." She replied. I shrugged.

"I'll live. We gotta get these tables moved."

Over the course of the next hour, we arranged the Youth Center to match the floor plan Tommy and I had made for the wedding. The tables were set up on one side of the room and chairs were lined up in rows in the area facing the altar. Rocky and Jason grabbed the archway they had made, carrying it out so it was at the front of the room. It was three pieces of drift wood that they had found at the beach. They drilled them together and wrapped vines around it. There were also fake white and pink roses on it, making it match the flower arrangements that would be arriving Friday. Carefully, they set it down in the middle of the alter, right in front of the aisle. While they did that, Aisha, Trini and I covered the tables in the white cloth I had bought. Next, the pink runners were set down the middle along with the white lace ribbon. The center pieces were tall glass vases filled with pink and clear plastic gems. The flowers would be going inside of them and small tea light candles would be lit around them. Adam and Zach brought out the boxes of china and we made six places at each table. Everything smelled brand new, Jason saying he was looking forward to using these for other events after this. Rocky and Jason hung the pink and white tulle I had bought around the room in twisted ribbons. Jason even decorated behind the bar, setting up the name brand bottles of alcohol I had found at a bar nearby. They were empty, but we had filled them with water or tea, depending on the type of liquor. It made it look like an actual functioning bar this way, the champagne glasses set up with them shining in the light above.

"I think we actually pulled this off!" I said, smiling as I looked around the room. If I had never been to the youth center, I would have thought it was an actual venue people use all the time for their weddings. It looked beautiful and I felt extremely proud of my work.

"You did good, Kimmy." Zach said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "I'm going to set up the sound equipment and I think we should be set."

"Sounds like a plan. Jason?" I called, looking for him. He popped up from behind the counter.

"What's up?"

"You have the kitchen all set up for the caterers, right?" I asked. He nodded, setting down the rag he had been using on the bar.

"Everything is good to go. I have the ovens set up, the heating stations are working, and the water works in there now too. I also had the soda installed so we can pour right from here now." He said, smiling proudly.

"Well look at you." Trini said, walking over to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled up at him. "I like it when you talk business."

"Oh yeah?" He asked, pulling her close to him. "Want me to tell you about my portfolio?" He murmured before leaning in to kiss her. I rolled my eyes, turning back towards the center of the room. I spotted Adam helping Zach set up the sound equipment and Aisha was showing Rocky how to set up the last round of silverware.

"Check. Check. One. Two. Red. Blue." Zach said into the microphone, the sound travelling around the room as he did. "How does this sound up there, Kim?"

"Sounds good!" I said, giving him a thumbs up. He hit something on the computer in front of him and a song started playing. He turned it down, so it was only playing lightly. Rocky tapped Aisha on the shoulder, causing her to turn. When she did, he took her hands and pulled her to an open area where he began to sway her to the music. It was a sweet little moment and it made me thankful for the couples that did come from our time on the teams. Rocky and Aisha were made for each other, their chemistry coming before they even joined us. The same went for Jason and Trini. The two of them meshed so well together and it made me happy that they had found that connection between them.

The back door of the youth center opened, and Billy stepped inside. He smiled brightly at all of us, giving a small wave. I felt my chest tightened as I knew what this meant. It worsened as Kat walked in behind him, her smile as wide as it could possibly get as she looked around the room. "This is amazing!" She exclaimed, taking it all in. "I can't believe this is the youth center!" A blonde woman came in behind Kat, followed by a silver haired man. Both were dressed in very nice clothes and it didn't take a genius to figure out those were her parents. Her mother looked just like Kat but shorter. She had the same blue eyes that looked around the room with a slight look of disgust. Her father, on the other hand, smiled with interest at the décor. Tanya Sloan, the former yellow Zeo/Turbo ranger came in next. The dark-skinned woman smiled at everyone as she walked into the room. Aisha ran over and gave her a big hug, obviously happy to see her cousin. Tommy came in last, a plastic bag in hand. He said something to Kat's father before shutting the door.

"Wow." He said, amazement coming over his face as he looked around. "It's better than I imagined!"

"I'd hate to see worse." I heard Kat's mother mutter under her breath. Behind me, I heard Jason make a noise and Trini shush him. Tommy stepped around the group as we all made our way to the middle of the room.

"Kim, you were right! This place is perfect." Kat said, stepping forward to hug me. "It's everything I could ever want in a wedding."

"I hope you like it." I replied. She nodded. I did my best to not remember the fact I knew about her affair and what she had done to Tommy. I shoved down the reaction to claw her eyes out, focusing on the rest of the group.

"I do! You should do wedding planning for a living." She laughed, turning to her parents. "Everyone, these are my parents, Sandra and Frank. Mom and Dad, I'd like to introduce you to everyone. This is Jason and Trini." She pointed at the couple on my left. Frank shook the guys hands as she introduced everyone. "You already know Rocky and Aisha. This is Adam and Zach. And this person right here is our life saver." Smiling, she pointed at me. "This is Kimberly."

"Nice to meet you, dear." Frank said, smiling at me.

"So, you are the Kimberly that Kat has told me so much about." Sandra said, giving me a once over that made me feel uneasy.

"I am. It's nice to meet the both of you." I replied. She gave me a speculative smile and a small nod.

"David is on his way now." Tommy said. "Once he gets here, we can go over the rehearsal."

"Perfect. Why don't you give us the grand tour, Jason?" Kat asked.

"Sure thing. Follow me." Jason led Kat and her parents towards the hallway, going to loop throughout the whole building. Trini walked with them, probably making sure he was going to be on his best behavior. Once they were out of ear shot, Tommy walked over to me.

"She's pleasant." I mumbled, picking at a place setting at the table next to me. He snorted, nodding.

"Oh, yes. She greeted me with a 'I thought you were getting a haircut' this morning when I grabbed them from the airport. The next three days should be wonderful."

"That's rough." I said, smirking. "Glad she's not going to be my mother-in-law."

"Thanks." He said, flatly. "How's your head?"

"Well, it went from crippling to just a throbbing." I replied. "But, I have no one to blame but myself."

"And that bottle of wine." He said, shaking his head.

"That too. But, I think I'll live. It's nothing that two aspirin and a gallon of water won't cure." I tucked my hair behind my ears, brushing it out of my face.

"I figured. That's why I got you this." He held out the plastic bag towards me.

"More presents?" I asked. Behind me, I heard Jason's tour come out of the kitchen and over by the bar. Looking in the bag, I saw a bottle of pain reliever and a bottle of water. Pulling them out, I smiled up at him. "Tommy Oliver, my hero."

"Always." He shot me a wink that made my heart flutter.

"Hello?" A man's voice called from the long hallway at the front of the youth center. A tall and slender man stood in the door way, long dark hair pulled back behind his head and a brown leather jacket on his torso. His skin was a darker color and his eyes were the same shade of brown as Tommy.

"David!" Tommy said happily, jogging over to his brother. The two embraced but my attention was turned to Sandra who was staring a hole into me. I gave her a small smile that she didn't return as Tommy led his brother towards me. "David, you know mostly everyone here. I would like you to meet my friend, Kimberly Hart. Kim, this is my brother, David Trueheart."

"It's so nice to meet you, Kimberly. My brother has told me so many things about you." David said, shaking my hand. _I'm sure he has,_ I thought.

"It's nice to meet you too. You and Tommy look so much alike!" David grinned.

"That's the nicest compliment you can give to this lug head." He said, pointing at Tommy who rolled his eyes.

"You almost made it a whole ten minutes before insulting me." Tommy said.

"Wow! A new personal record." David winked at me as Kat and her parents walked towards us. "Hello, Kat. It's great to see you." He said, turning to face her. She gave him a smile that I felt was forced.

"Hi, David. Thank you for coming. I'd like you to meet my parents, Sandra and Frank." She said. Frank shook David's hand, but Sandra looked at David like he was plague covered.

"Hello." David said, smiling at them.

"This is who will be performing the ceremony?" Sandra asked.

"Let's get to this rehearsal, shall we?" Tommy exclaimed, just in the knick of time.

"Yes! And then after, we would like to take all you kids out to dinner to thank you for helping our little girl with her big day." Frank said, smiling warmly at the group. I popped open the bottle of aspirin and fished two of them out. I put them in my mouth, opening the bottle of water and swallowing a big gulp of it to help wash the pills down. Something told me I would be needing more of these before the day was done.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Rehearsal, surprisingly, went off without a hitch. Everyone hit their marks like they were supposed to, and David went through a shortened version of their wedding ceremony. He had asked if he could do a little ritual that was common in the weddings of his people, but Kat shut him right down before he could even finish explaining it. I kept my mouth shut, glaring daggers into her back as she was rude to him. I didn't see the harm of it. Especially since it was something I knew Tommy would have wanted. That part of his life was important to him since he knew little about it. He didn't say anything about it though, casting a glance to me as practice came to an end. Once it did, we all set up a time table of when things would be happening tomorrow and Saturday morning. The plan was for Tanya and Adam (who I noticed were sharing side glances every now and then as we went through the ceremony) to meet the florist here tomorrow while Aisha, Trini and I set up for the bridal shower. The guys were going to come here and do the finishing touches for everything. Once they were done, they were going to go out to a bar for drinks and then back here to finish celebrating Tommy's last night as a single woman. As for us girls, we were going to have the bridal shower and then slide right into the tea party Kat wanted to have for a bachelorette party. She stressed the no alcohol party when she spoke of her party, wanting to make sure we were all wide eyed and bushy tailed on Saturday morning when all hell would be letting loose.

"On Saturday morning, the guys will be here by no later than nine to start getting ready." Kat said, glaring at Rocky and Jason who groaned. "You are going to make sure everything is perfect and that it's fitting for a wedding. The photographer will be here by eleven and us girls will be here by 11:30. We will be getting up by six to start getting our hair and makeup done." I wanted to groan too but I thought her mother might strangle me if I did. "Zach and Adam, you two will be seating people as they arrive. Jason, I want you to handle setting up the caterers with everything they need. Billy, you are going to make sure everyone sticks to the schedule. Rocky, you just make sure you don't cause any trouble."

"Oh, I will try my best." He mumbled under his breath, only loud enough for me to hear. I stifled a laugh, covering my mouth. I noticed Sandra shoot a glare at me, silencing my laugh instantly.

"Kat, everything is going to be fine." Tommy said, putting his hand on the small of her back. "Everything will be perfect. I promise."

"I just want to make sure it is." She replied, pouting up at him in a gross fashion. I turned away, knowing they were going to kiss. I made myself busy, fixing silverware on the table closest to me.

"You kids all set to head to dinner?" Frank asked, causing me to turn back towards the group. He glanced at his watch. It was nearing 4 o'clock according to the clock on the wall above the bar.

"I don't think we would protest the chance to clean up first." Trini said, giving him a small smile. "We've been working all day here. Could we get an hour to go home and change first?"

"I don't see why not. How about we all meet there at 5? That'll give us time to make a reservation and everything." He replied. Smiling, he turned to Sandra who was still looking at me like I was on the verge of something sinister at any moment. "Are you ready, dear?"

"Yes. We will see you all there." She replied. He led her towards the door, but she stopped, looking over her shoulder at us. "Tommy, don't spend forever getting to your car. We have places to be."

"Yes, Sandra." Tommy replied through gritted teeth. Kat and Tanya followed the married couple, talking about hair and what they were going to do. The four disappeared out the back door, heading to the parking lot.

"You are a brave, brave man." Zach scoffed, shaking his head.

"I know. Thankfully, they don't visit much." Tommy rolled his eyes, sighing. "I'll see all you guys there. Don't be late. I don't want to hear her bitch about that." With a wave, he jogged out of the youth center. Once he was gone, we started cleaning up the little mess we had made unboxing everything and quickly made our way to the parking lot to head home.

At Jason and Trini's, the three of us took turns showering. I could hear Jason and Trini moving around their bedroom as I combed out my hair in the bathroom. I did my best to clip the top of it back with a black slip and then lightly curled the rest of it. I applied a light layer of makeup before pulling on a black short sleeved dress Trini was letting me borrow. I had run out of dresses to wear, apart from the one Tommy had bought me. It was currently hanging on the back of my closet door, reminding me of the upcoming event that I was dreading. I paired the dress with black sandals before making my way down to the living room where I found Jason sitting on the couch. He had changed into a dark red dress shirt and black slacks, his hair slightly gelled. I whistled when I saw him, making him shake his head.

"Look at you, Mr. Scott." I said, giving him a wink. He stood up, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I know. I make it look good. You look nice too. Trini should be coming down soon."

"Good. Wouldn't want to be late." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Listen, before we go and before everything gets crazy between tonight and Saturday, I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you. You have handled everything like it's nothing and I honestly doubted you for a moment there. But, like usual, you proved me wrong. You may be the strongest person I know, Kim. But, just remember that if there comes a moment where you need an escape on Saturday, just let me know. And if that woman says anything to you that you don't like, let me know. I'm not marrying her daughter. I'm not afraid to tell her where to put her condescending remarks she loves to make."

"Thanks, Jase." I smiled, giving him a hug. He patted my back in a reassuring way. "Any way you can slip me alcohol tomorrow night?"

"I put a flask on your bed."

"You're a life saver." I said, pulling away. On the stair, the sound of heels made us turn. Trini came down the stairs, dressed in a gold color dress with a black shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Her hair was up in a tight bun on the back of her hair and light makeup made her face seem to shine. "Trini, you look beautiful!" I said. She laughed, seemly embarrassed.

"Thanks, Kim. My dress looks so much better on you, by the way." She replied.

"We should get going, ladies." Jason said, looking at his watch. Nodding, Trini and I followed him out the door towards Trini's car. It was a quick trip, heading to Calio's. Tommy had suggested it, saying it was a nice place from when we were doing our samplings. I could see everyone's cars parked along the curb and a small group was standing on the sidewalk. I spotted Adam, Aisha, Rocky and Zach by the door, talking. They smiled when we climbed out of the car. The boys were dressed in dress shirts, each matching their signature color. Aisha wore a bright yellow sun dress that flattered her. I was the only one not in my color, something Zach was quick to point out.

"What's the matter, Kim? Did you finally run out of pink in your wardrobe?" He asked, grinning at me.

"No. I figured someone else would want to wear it tonight." I replied. Sure enough, I had been correct. Tommy's SUV pulled up at that moment and Kat climbed out of the passenger seat, wearing a light pink dress with a white sweater over it. Trini gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze as I watched Tommy, Billy and Kat's parents climb out. All had changed, Tommy and Billy matching the other boys in wearing their colors. Tommy wore white though, black slacks running down his slender legs. He held the door open for everyone as we filled into the eatery. I was last, him giving me a wide smile as I neared the door.

"You look lovely." He said as I stepped through. He followed, letting the door close behind him.

"Thanks. Not too shabby yourself." I replied, winking up at him. The hostess at the front led our larger group towards the back of the restaurant where there was a long table set up with enough chairs for all of us. Kat's parents sat in the middle of the table on the left side. Kat sat next to her mother, Tommy next to her. Jason sat across from Tommy, Trini next to him. I sat next to her, leaving me right in front of Sandra. Billy took the seat next to me, Zach next to him. Tanya sat next to Frank, Adam at her side. Aisha and Rocky sat in the last chairs, sitting across from each other. Water was poured into the wine glasses in front of all of us as we waited for our server to come over.

"Good evening, everyone!" A friendly looking man with short blond hair said as he stood at the head of our table. He wore a black dress shirt and black pants, a large stack of menus in his hands. "My name is Clinton and I will be taking care of all of you tonight. Here's the menus and inside, you will find a wine listing. We also have a wide range of beers on tap to choose from. Can I start by getting everyone something to drink?" He handed the menus to Tommy who passed them along the table.

"Can we get three bottles of your finest champagne for the table please?" Frank asked. Clinton nodded, a bright smile on his face. He probably saw the chance of a big tip in his future.

"Certainly! I will bring that out for you as well as some bread for the table. Take a moment to read through the menu and I will be right back to take your orders." He disappeared towards the front of the room.

"Frank, I don't think we need to get them all drunk." Sandra said, eyeing the menu in front of her.

"Oh, they won't get drunk. We are here to celebrate! It's not every day our little girl gets married." Her husband replied. I turned my attention to the menu, trying to decide what I wanted. I remembered the chicken parmesan from the tasting. I could go for that again. I closed my menu, setting it down in front of me.

"You already figured out what you want?" Trini asked, looking at me from behind her menu. I nodded.

"The chicken parmesan is fantastic." I replied, taking a sip of water.

"Do you eat here frequently?" Sandra asked, eyeing me over her menu. I shook my head.

"No. Tommy and I came here for the tasting last week and they served that with the samples." I stated. Tommy nodded.

"Yes. The prime rib is good as well. I recommend skipping the garden salad though." He made a face, crinkling his nose.

"It wasn't that bad." I laughed.

"If you like eating lawn trimmings." Tommy said, shrugging his shoulders.

"It seems that you two spent a lot of time together planning this wedding." Sandra interjected. I didn't like the way she was looking at me, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Well, of course they did." Kat said, closing her menu. "That's what they were supposed to do. And obviously, it paid off."

"Kimberly and I have been friends for years. Just like everyone else here." Tommy explained. "She was the perfect girl for the job."

"I did my best." I answered, feeling increasingly uncomfortable under Sandra's gaze. Thankfully, Clinton returned then, drawing her attention from me.

"Here we are!" He announced, pushing a small cart in front of him. There were three ice buckets on top of it, open bottles of champagne in them. He set a bucket down at each end and one in the middle. "Do we know what we want to eat?" He asked, pulling out a notepad from his waist band. He took everyone's food orders, getting it all down as he made his up through everyone. Once he was done, he said he would be back shortly and made his way back to the kitchen.

"You boys want to help me pour this?" Frank asked, picking up the bottle in front of him. Rocky picked up the bottle on his end and Tommy grabbed his. The three men poured the liquor into everyone's glasses until we were all filled up. Tommy and Rocky sat down but Frank stayed standing, holding up his glass. "I would like to make a toast! In honor of our little girl getting married, I would like to thank you all for being here. You are all great kids and I couldn't be happier that she surrounds herself with people like you. When she first asked to come to Angel Grove, we were a bit worried she wouldn't fit in that well. You all took her in with open arms, something we are grateful for. Tommy, I don't think Kat could have found a better man than you. You are honest, hardworking and we know you'll take good care of her." Frank raised his glass. "Here's to the happy couple."

"Cheers." The table said. I took a sip of the alcohol, noticing Kat staring down at the empty plate setting in front of her. Tommy stood as Frank sat down.

"I just wanted to say something really quick. Thank you all for helping us through everything. I know it was a bit crazy when we told you we wanted to get married in just a few weeks, but you all stepped up to help us in whatever way you could. You all are the best friends and guy can ask for and I know I speak for the both of us when I say you are the best people we know. I also want to thank you, Kimberly." He said, turning to me. Kat also looked at me, a smile on her face. "Without you or your help, this wedding wouldn't be happening. You came to our rescue and we are extremely grateful for all your help."

"You're welcome." I said, feeling heat in my cheeks. Well, duh. Of course, this wedding wouldn't be happening without my help. If I hadn't broke up with Tommy, they never would have gotten together. I took another swig of my drink.

"So, here's to all of you!" Tommy said. We drank again, and I felt the heat on the back of my neck. Setting my glass down, I pushed out from the table.

"I'll be right back." I said to Trini in a low voice. Standing, I made my way towards the bathroom. I pushed my way through the door, enjoying the silence as it closed behind me. I found myself in a well decorated bathroom. The walls were a light brown color with black trim. Freshly waxed black tile covered the floor and matched the black granite sinks. A long mirror hung above here, and my reflection looked hollow as I leaned against the last sink. What the hell was I doing here? I was putting myself through torture, sitting here and pretending to be happy for this wedding that I wished wasn't happening. Chinese water torture sounded more fun than this. It was only going to get worse too. I wondered for a moment if any of this would be happening if I had stayed back in time when I found myself in the old west version of Angel Grove. I bet that Tommy's great ancestor didn't end up marrying the Australian hussy.

"Well, there you are." A voice said as the door of the bathroom opened. Glancing in the mirror, I saw it was Sandra who had come to find me. She let the door close behind her as she sauntered over to the sink. She set her purse on the ledge of the sink and smiled at me. "We were started to think you ran away on us." Her accent was thicker than that of Kat's, but I still could understand her condescending tones in each word. "This place is wonderful. I'm glad you and Tommy had the chance to dine here so we could get the opportunity."

"It's very nice." I replied, fixing my lip gloss in the mirror.

"Kimberly, I must ask you a question. Do you know what I do back home?" She asked, putting her hand on her hip. I shook my head.

"No, ma'am."

"I'm a judge. Some have even called me the best judge in our jurisdiction. I didn't get to be a judge by turning a blind eye to things that are happening right in front of me. Do you understand what I could be referring to?" Stepping back, I leaned against the wall that was behind me.

"I don't think I do." I said, afraid of what she was trying to get at.

"What I am referring to is the obvious feelings I see between Tommy and you." She stated, raising an eyebrow at me. "Katherine told me about the history between the two of you and I believe I know the real story of what's going on. I think you came back to California to see if you could sink your claws into Tommy again. Unfortunately for you, he was already engaged to my daughter at that point. You saw your chance, however, when Katherine needed to return to London. I do not doubt for a second that the two of you have been acting inappropriately behind my daughter's back while she was across the Atlantic trying to set up a better life for her and that knucklehead." She said, sounding cool as a cucumber. I let out a little gasp at her words.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hubbard, but that is not the case. Tommy and I are just friends. It's true, we do have a past. That's what it is though and that's all. I would never do anything to hurt Kat that way and neither would Tommy." I said.

"A judge can tell when people are lying, Kimberly. You might not have acting on those feelings, but I can see right through you. You still love him. It's as clear as the nose on my face." She stepped closer, crossing her arms over her chest. "If for one second, you even think about stopping this wedding, I will make sure you never practice gymnastics in this country again. My daughter will not be made a fool. You had your shot with Tommy and it's over with. I will not tolerate this kind of behavior, especially from a little girl who is freeloading off her friends because she can't hold down a job." I went to say something, but the door opened, Tanya slipping in.

"The food is here!" She said, smiling.

"Thank you, dear." Sandra said, smiling brightly at Tanya. She turned back to me, still smiling. "I can't wait to try the chicken parmesan!" Grabbing her purse, she walked with Tanya out the door, leaving me in a stunned silence.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

The rest of the dinner went without incident, mostly due to the fact I sat in silence. Everyone else seemed to enjoy themselves, the food tasting wonderfully. I didn't eat much and opted to take it home with me when the server offered me the option. Frank told us wonderful stories about Australia and his time spent in the armed forces down there. Jason and Rocky were hanging on to every word the man said, finding his tales to be captivating as he spoke. Sandra sat next to her husband, eyeing me every now and then. Whenever we made eye contact, it took everything from me to not crawl under the table. Why on Earth did this woman have such an effect on me? I have battled monsters bigger than Godzilla, fought on distant planets and faced off with scary as fuck aliens. How was a middle-aged woman from Down Under scaring me to this point? Was it because she made it clear that I was as transparent as a pane of glass? In my mind, I hadn't thought I was that obvious. I had done my best to not show how I was feeling. Did it not work as well as I had thought? OR was she just being a bitch for the sake of being that bitchy mother-in-law? I couldn't tell and that plated a big part of me being terrified.

Once dinner was done, we left the restaurant. We said our good-byes, Aisha asking Trini and I to come over first thing in the morning to help her set up for the shower. Kat and her mother were going to the nail salon before this, giving us time to prep for the party. The guys were going to be helping with the flower delivery as well as making final touches to the hall. Jason was not amused in the slightest by the bossy tone Kat had thrown around to him in regard to how she wanted it to look but he bit his tongue while she gave out commands. There were hugs as people began to head to their cars. Tommy had stepped towards me to give me a hug, but I moved quickly, climbing into Trini's car before he could get too close. I saw him standing there, confused as Jason pulled away from the curb.

Back at the house, Trini disappeared into their home office to finish up her paper. It was due tomorrow and she just had final edits to make to it before sending it out. She was relieved it was almost over and said she was glad she would be able to enjoy the wedding without it hanging over her head. Jason headed to the basement, looking to get a workout in after such a heavy dinner. I retreated to my room where I changed into a pair of sweat pants and a tank top, looking the comforting effect. I crawled into bed, grabbing a magazine from my bedside table. I flipped through it, trying to read but my mind would not let me concentrate. The hours were counting down now. In less than 48 hours, Tommy and Kat would be exchanging vows to spend the rest of their lives together. That feeling of dread filled my chest at the idea of watching it play out in front of me. It's not too late, a tiny voice in my head said. You could still tell him. What would be the worst thing to happen if I did tell him? He would turn me down and marry Kat? It was going to happen anyway. He would disown me and never want to speak to me again? I didn't think I would be able to see him after the wedding anyway. The more I laid there and thought about it, the more I rationalized the idea of telling Tommy the truth. Maybe Billy and Zach had been right. Telling Tommy might be the right thing to do.

On the other hand though, telling Tommy would mean dropping a bomb filled with drama in the middle of his wedding. It would mean making him rethink everything and possibly causing him to make a hard decision. I had already given up my shot of being with him. Sandra had made that clear. I gave him up to be with an asshole who treated me like dirt. It wasn't Tommy's fault that I had been an idiot. It wouldn't be fair to do this to him when he was planning on a life with Katherine. He had everything figured out. He didn't need me ruining it by telling him something I could have told him a year or two ago. Telling him was not the option. I was going to help with this wedding, standing there like the other bridesmaids, and pretend to be happy for them. Tears filled my eyes as I pictured the worst day of my life. It wasn't going to be easy. I wondered if heart break could possibly kill a person. I imagined me keeling over as they shared their first kiss together as husband and wife. Curling up under the covers, I wrapped my arms around myself as I sobbed. I wished I could blame someone besides myself for this. That I could be made at Rita or Lord Zedd. That somehow they had caused all of this to happen. They didn't though. Kat wasn't even to blame. This was all on me, the truth hurting like a baseball bat to the temple.

I must have nodded off during my sobbing fest as I awoke a little while later, my room pitch black. Turning over, I saw the time read nearly midnight on the alarm clock next to my bed. The magazine I had tried to read was stuck to my face, some of the pages ripping as I moved. I peeled it off, tossing it on the floor so I could roll over. As I readjusted, I found a comfortable spot in the bed and started to drift off again. As I did, I heard a tone sing out from under my bed. I thought I had been dreaming for a second, the idea of morphing coming to mind. It played again though, pulling me from my sleeping state. Rolling over, I fished the communicator out of my purse under my bed.

"Kim?" Tommy's voice whispered from the speaker. Biting my lip, I thought for a moment. Should I answer this? It wasn't appropriate. I knew it wasn't. Our conversation last night hadn't been that appropriate, that's for sure. And wasn't Kat home? What the hell was he doing calling me this late?

"Hey, Tommy." I said softly, hitting the button.

"Did I wake you up?" He asked, sounding concerned. I rolled back into the bed, sliding down on the pillows.

"No." I lied. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Did something happen at dinner?" He asked.

"I'm fine, Tommy." Sighing, I hated the fact he knew me better than any other person on this planet. Maybe Sandra was right. Maybe I was as transparent as she had said.

"Did Sandra say something to you in the bathroom?" He asked, obviously not believing me. His voice seemed to echo behind him, "Tanya said she thought the two of you were fighting when she walked in."

"Nothing that I can't handle." I said trying my best to be optimistic. "Where are you?"

"The hallway of my apartment building." He replied. "Kat and Billy are sleeping, and I didn't want to wake them."

"You should be sleeping too." I said, softly. I didn't want him to go. I wanted to stay right here, talking to him.

"So, should you. If you tell me what Sandra said, I will rip her a new one."

"It's nothing that wasn't true. Honestly, you have bigger things to worry about than little old me."

"I like worrying about little old you." He said, something rough in his voice.

"Well, you shouldn't. I don't think we should be talking like this anymore, Tommy. I know we are friends but…it's not right."

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Tommy." I whispered. "I just think that until the wedding, we shouldn't use the communicators to talk to one another. It doesn't feel right, and I don't want people to get the wrong idea."

"Who cares what people think?" He asked, sounding offended. "We're just friends, talking."

"Yeah? Then why are you in the hallway instead of in your apartment?" I replied. I knew I was hurting his feelings, but I didn't have a choice. He was silent for a minute. "Tommy, I love talking to you and if I had my way, we would talk all night. I just don't think it's a good idea."

"I guess Sandra did get to you after all." He said. The static stopped, telling me he had turned his communicator off. Swearing, I tossed mine back into my purse. Even when I do the right thing, people end up mad with me.

I managed to get a full night's rest, but I wouldn't call it quality. I tossed and turned, thinking about how angry Tommy had sounded. There was nothing I could do about it though. I knew I had done the right thing but telling him we shouldn't be talking like that. Not only was it not appropriate, it only made me feel like there was something there that might not be. Getting my hopes up on false pretenses was not a smart idea, considering what the next two days entailed. I laid there, staring up at my ceiling from the bed. I probably wouldn't be seeing Tommy today. I wouldn't have a chance to see how upset with me he was and how I might be able to cool things down. I thought about calling him on the communicator, but it would be backstepping on what I had told him last night. I was just going to have to live with him being upset with me until after the wedding. It made things easier this way I guess.

After showering and getting dressed in a green and white floral printed sun dress, I went down stairs and found Trini assembling a tray of finger sandwiches. She had bags of lunch meat and cheese on one side of the tray and bread on the other. She was in the process of slicing a sandwich, cutting it into four triangles. She stacked them on the tray before building another one.

"Morning, Trini." I said, smiling at her. She waved as I passed her on my way to the kitchen.

"Hey. I'm almost done with these and then we can head over to Aisha's. She called this morning to let me know she finished the wedding cake. Jason went over and get it to keep it in the fridge at the Youth Center. He said it was gorgeous. I hope she took pictures of it."

"Me too." I poured myself a cup of coffee and added cream and sugar to it. Stirring it, my mind wondered to tomorrow and what was going to happen.

"Stop thinking about it." Trini's voice said, bringing me back to Earth.

"Huh?" I asked, looking at her over my shoulder.

"I can always tell when you're thinking about the wedding. You get this look on your face like a kid finding out Santa isn't real. I know it's easier said than done but you need to not think about it." She gave me a small smile, cleaning up the leftover meat and cheese. Walking over, she opened the fridge door and set the bags on the bottom shelf.

"I'll keep trying but I can't promise." I muttered, taking a sip of my coffee. "He's mad at me anyway."

"Why?" She asked, heading back to the table. She pulled a large sheet of plastic wrap from thee roll on the table and covered the tray.

"I told him that maybe we needed to stop talking as much as we have been. I don't think it's right with it being so close to the wedding. I don't want Kat to think something is up between us."

"You mean you don't want her mother to think that." Trini stated, sealing the loaf of bread. "I swore if looks could kill, you wouldn't be alive right now. I don't believe she likes you."

"I know she doesn't like me." I sighed. "She told me so last night. But, I'm not going to let it bother me. I'm going to hold my head high, be the best damn bridesmaid I can be, and the drink myself into a coma Saturday night."

"That's the spirit!" She replied, winking at me. "I'm going to get changed and then we can leave." She disappeared upstairs, leaving me in the kitchen. I finished my coffee, dumping the rest of the pot out and cleaning out the grounds before we left. The guys were staying here tonight, Jason volunteering to be not only a host but also the designated driver for everyone. I knew why he did this. He didn't want to be hung over or any kind of impaired before asking Trini to marry him. I figured it out as soon as the guys said something about it last night. It was noble of him, making sure everyone would be getting here safely. Trini and I were going to be at Aisha's, making it easier for when it was time to start getting ready. Kat's mother would be staying at the hotel, something I was extremely relieved of.

Trini came down the stairs a few minutes later and together, we loaded everything into her car. She had managed to get the cutting board we had discussed as a present. Instead of their names, she just had Oliver printed on it with the date under it. It was very cute and in the shape of a heart. She wrapped in white paper and put it in a gift bag to give them on their wedding day. Loading up the food, we both grabbed an overnight bag of clothes and then headed off to Aisha and Rocky's. They lived in a small house, a little blue thing three blocks away from the high school. It was something they were renting, Aisha had told me. They were in the works of buying a house, a goal they'd had for a while now. They only had closing to worry about now and we are waiting on to hear some good news so that they would be able to move in. The house they were currently staying in was cute, I thought as Trini pulled into the drive way. There were white window panes and a matching trim, making the blue pop. There was a small garden in front by the small porch and a short white fence around it to protect it from people walking by. Killing the engine, Trini and I climbed out and grabbed our things. The front door opened, revealing a tired looking Aisha in the doorway.

"Man, I am glad to see you two." She said, sighing in relief. Reaching out, she took the top tray from Trini and allowed us to enter the house. The living room was the first room we saw walking in the door. Painted with a light brown color with a dark brown trim, it was decorated with brother leather furniture and she had hung pink and white streamers, balloons, and ribbon from each corner. There was also a sign that said Bridal Shower over the couch and she set a center piece of candles on the mahogany coffee table in the middle of the room.

"It looks great in here!" I said, grinning at her.

"Thanks. I've been cleaning all night practically. Rocky isn't the tidiest person to live with." She said, heading through a doorway. We followed, coming into a kitchen. It was a white room with black and white tile on the floor. The appliances were black, and the counter tops were a white and black speckled mix. On the other side of the room, there was a kitchen table set up with six chairs. Like the living room, she had hung decorations in here as well and the table was decked out with food and a centerpiece. Opening the fridge, she slid the sandwiches inside. "These look amazing, Trini. Thank you for making them."

"No problem." Trini said, setting her bag down on the floor. "What else do you need help with?"

"The favors still need to be assembled, the games sorted out, and I need to make punch." She replied.

"What kind of punch?" I asked.

"The kind that is alcohol free." Aisha said, frowning in my direction. I groaned, adjusting the strap of my bag as it hung on my shoulder. "But, I think Rocky said he left something for you in the fridge in the garage."

"For me?" I asked. She nodded. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't had time to look. While you're out there, can you grab the big bottles of soda that are in there as well?"

"Sure." I set my bag next to Trini's and went out the side door that connected to the garage. It was empty in here, Aisha's car in the driveway. There was a fridge in here along with exercise equipment along the walls. Walking over to the fridge, I pulled it open and saw two boxes of wine. I smirked when I saw them, a message written on the side of one of them. Thought you could use this today. Try not to get a hangover. Rocky was smarter than he gave off sometimes. On the bottom shelf, I saw two large bottles of lemon lime soda. I scooped them up in my arms and headed back to the kitchen where I found Aisha and Trini tying small bags of tulle for the favors. I set the soda down on the kitchen counter, watching what they were doing.

"What was it?" Aisha asked, glancing at me.

"Wine. The boys know us so well." I replied. She smirked, shaking her head.

"I knew he was up to something. Don't let Sandra catch you drinking that. She will have a bird. It's bad enough she has to be here, I don't want to hear her bitch about drinking."

"No worries. I'll be sure to behave myself." I said, giving her a little salute. She tossed a roll of tulle in my direction.

"Get to bagging."


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: YOU ALL ARE THE BEST! I broke 100 reviews this week, something I never could have imagined. You guys make this something that I live for every day now, something that my husband isn't too thrilled about. Hahaha. But, we are getting into the thick of things. There are going to be parts you all love and parts that you will all hate me for. I apologize in advance. But, I think we can all agree that Kat's mother is the real enemy here. She's modeled after an aunt of mine who is EXACTLY like Sandra. I'm all glad we can hate her together.

As always, I do not own or have any rights for the Power Rangers. And please remember to R&R!

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Chapter Thirty-Two

It took about an hour to get of the final touches done for the shower. Aisha was still freaking out about her house and her party planning skills when the first guests began to arrive. I recognized them as a number of girls we had gone to school with. Next, Kat's sponsor mother, Cindy, arrived. Her and her husband had taken Kat in when she first came to the states. She came with her oldest daughter and her sister, the three of them all tall and blonde. If you didn't know any better, you would have thought Kat was really related to them. They mingled with everyone else as we waited for the quest of honor. Tanya arrived a little before noon, saying that everything with the flowers had gone smoothly. Her and Adam had placed them in the fridge along with the cake under direction of the florist. The guys would set them out tomorrow, making sure they looked like they were supposed to.

"She's here!" Cindy called, glancing out the front window. I looked up from my spot on the couch, knowing full well who she was talking about. A few seconds later, Kat walked through the front door, her mother in tow. There was also another woman behind them who they introduced as her aunt Mary. Mary looked nice and seemed a great deal friendlier than her sister as she greeted all of us. Kat looked lovely in a white lace dress that travelled down to her knees and had thin straps holding it up. I could tell they had spent their morning at the nail salon, the smell from the chemicals travelling with them.

"Hi everyone! It's so great to see you." Kat said as she made her way around the room, hugging all the guests. She hugged me as well, squeezing tightly. I patted her back, trying to not seem unenthusiastic about being here. It seemed to work because she moved on to Trini without incident. Sandra casted me a look that I did my best to avoid. We locked eyes for a moment and I refused to waiver under her gaze. Her attention was drawn away by Cathy who started telling her all about Kat's last visit with them. It was a small victory for me, something I would need to make it through this.

With everyone in attendance, Aisha announced that the food was ready. Everyone filed into the kitchen to fill small plates with food. Besides Trini's sandwiches, there was a cucumber and tomato salad, vegetables and fruit, and cheese that Aisha had purchased from the gourmet section at the grocery store. Small talk was exchanged as we ate, Sandra being kept busy with the other guests to even notice me. I took refuge with catching up with Tanya and getting to know her better. We never served on a team together and I had only met her once when Jason and I were almost sacrificed as a wedding present. Thanks, Divatox. But, it was great getting to know her better. Like everyone else, she just finished up with school. Her studies had taken her to Spain though. She was also moving back to Angel Grove since school was over and was hoping to land a good job with her earned degree. I wanted to ask her about her relationship with Adam, but I thought better of it. I was in no position to ask anyone about how they felt about members of the Power Rangers, that's for sure.

"Now that everyone's ate, we are going to play a game!" Aisha announced, standing in front of the room. "This game is called Who Did What First. I'm going to ask a question, and everyone is going to write down who we thought did it first between Kat and Tommy. Whoever gets the most right of the ten questions, wins a prize!" She grabbed a stack of papers and a handful of pens from the entertainment center next to her, passing them out. I took mine, unsure if I wanted to take part in this. "Okay! First question: who asked who out?"

"I bet it was Tommy!" Cindy said, winking at Kat. Kat blushed, grinning from ear to ear as she jot down her answer. I'm sure they would be using this as a key.

"Number 2! Who admitted their feelings first?" Aisha said. Oye. I'm starting to think she was out to kill me. This was all information I did not want to know in a million years. Everyone bent over their papers, writing down their guesses. "Number 3; who kissed who first?"

"You okay?" Trini whispered next to me. I nodded, my foot jiggling up and down. It was the only thing keeping me grounded right now. I didn't say anything, knowing if I spoke, it would just be worse.

"The next one is who said I love you first?" Aisha said, reading off the paper in her hand.

"That's an easy one." Tanya said to me under her breath. "Tommy said it to her the night of their six-month anniversary."

"Lovely." I muttered back.

"5; who bought the other a present first?" I felt like I could feel every scratch of pens on paper, but I knew I wasn't really. I needed this game to be over. I needed to be the hell out here.

"Number 6…" Aisha said, grinning at the group. "Who kissed who first?"

"Nope. Nope. Nope." I whispered, handing my paper to Trini. I stood up, excusing myself around Cindy so I could head into the kitchen. I opened the garage door and slipped in, heading straight to the fridge. I found a package of red plastic cups on top of it and ripped them open. Grabbing one cup, I pulled the fridge door open and punched the pouring spout from the box. Pressing the red button with my thumb, I held the cup under there with my other hand. White wine began to trickle out and into the cup. I wasn't a heavy drinker. It's always been very rare of me to drink a lot or often. This whole wedding might just make me an alcoholic yet though. I heard giggling coming from the other room, suggesting they had moved on to more personal questions of their relationship. I couldn't even bring myself to imagine what they could have been. All I knew was that I didn't care to know the answer nor the rest of the questions. The cup filled half way and I killed the stream. Bringing it to my lips, I gulped it down until it was empty. Panting for breath, I closed my eyes and leaned against the fridge for support. I needed to get through this. I didn't know how but somehow, I had to keep pretending I was fine with everything.

I waited a few moments, listening for the laughter to die down. When it was quiet, I made my way back up to the party. I made it look like I had been in the kitchen, making more punch when some of the girls came out to get some dessert. Aisha's cake was beautiful; a two-tier chocolate cake with white frosting and pink petals. It had been her practice for the wedding cake and it only made me think that the other one had to be even more stunning. There were also macaroon cookies and a fruit salad, a little something for everyone to enjoy. Presents followed the dessert and Kat opened an array of things; from household items to a white nighty someone had given her. I ignored the anger it made flare in my chest as she joked about their wedding night. Why on Earth did I sign myself up for this?

As the shower began to dwindle down, I noticed that the clock was nearing six o'clock. I wondered what Tommy and the rest of the guys were doing. I wondered if he was thinking about our little spat or about the fact that marrying Kat might not be the best idea. Probably not though. Or else, I wouldn't have to be sitting through my worst nightmare. Our guests began to leave, trickling out as they bid her well wishes for tomorrow. When Cindy left, rounding out the guests who would not be attending the Bachelorette Party, Kat sighed and leaned back into the couch. "That shower was great. Thank you guys for doing all this."

"You're welcome." Aisha replied, cleaning up some plates and garbage from the table. I was doing the same around the room, a bag in hand. "Now we can get ready for your tea party."

"How wonderful!" Sandra said, patting Kat on the knee. "That's something Kat has always dreamt of." Oh yeah? I've always dreamt of living on a beach somewhere. You don't see that happening any time soon, do ya?

"Well, I'm glad I could help." Aisha smiled as Tanya came into the living room.

"Everything is all set up!" She announced, clasping her hands together in front of her. "We can finish cleaning up in here and we will be good to go." Trini appeared behind her and the four of us quickly cleaned up the remains of the shower. When I walked into the kitchen, I saw that a very delicate china tea set had been arranged on the kitchen table. There was a lace table cloth under it, three plates of cookies and other desserts next to the large tea pot in the middle of the table. Matching cups sat on saucers at five place settings, little spoons next to them. I had to admit it was a cute little set up. It was still more fitting for a five-year-old, rather than a bachelorette party.

"This is so beautiful!" Kat said, walking out into the kitchen. Sandra followed behind her, that look of minimal disgust on her face like normal. She sat at the head of the table, Kat taking her place at her right. Tanya sat across from Kat, Aisha next to her. I took the chair next to Kat, wishing that there was an acceptable way to run the hell out of here without being rude. Aisha carefully picked up the tea pot and poured some of the hot liquid in each of our cups. I didn't even like hot tea. Or tea in general. It tasted like dirt water in my opinion. I scooped in five spoonsful of sugar, stirring it with my spoon as she set the tea pot back down.

"I can't believe the big day is tomorrow." Tanya said, taking a sip of her tea. Kat nodded, stirring her tea.

"I know! It's felt like a long time coming now. I've always felt this connection with Tommy that we were supposed to be together. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him."

"Well, you two belong together." Sandra said, patting her daughter on the arm. "Even if he's unemployed."

"He's not unemployed." I said before I could stop myself. "He's a race car driver."

"Please." Sandra scoffed. "That's an aspiration of a little boy. When you get to London, be sure to meet with the Henderson's. They can hire him to do something on their grounds. Even a gardener."

"Mom, we talked about this. Tommy is going to be doing the European circuit. He'll be working." Kat replied.

"No. He'll be off doing God knows what while you are working your tail off. He needs a respectful job that can support you. Maybe if he cuts his hair like any responsible man, he'd get somewhere."

"He is responsible." I said, leaning forward so I could see Sandra better. "Tommy has the ability to do great things in life. His hair doesn't make any difference. He's done such good for so many people. He doesn't have anything to prove to anyone."

"Oh?" Sandra asked, picking up her tea cup. "How do you know what he's been up to? Haven't you been down in Florida, living with another man?" Anger ripped through my chest as she sipped from her cup. A satisfied smile crossed her lips at her comment.

"No, I was training to become an Olympic athlete. Tommy is my friend and I don't appreciate the tone you are using to talk about him. He might not live up to your standards of who you want to marry your daughter, but he isn't a terrible guy. He's sweet, caring, compassionate, and has always been a good friend. Any woman would be lucky enough to marry him." It took everything in me to not leap across this table and beat her with the tea pot. How dare she speak of Tommy like that? She had no clue what type of person he was. He was giving up so much to be with Kat and her mother was tearing him apart like he was no better than shit on a shoe.

"Kimberly's right, Mom." Kat stated, smiling at me. Tommy is a great guy and I'm very lucky I get to marry him tomorrow." Kat might get a tea cup upside the head if she keeps talking like that.

"Well, of course she is, dear." Sandra said, setting her cup down. "So, Kimberly, what are you up to these days?"

"She's working for us at the dojo." Trini added in, hoping to defend me. "She's doing our records, bookkeeping, and keeping an eye on everything while the guys are teaching classes. Once we get the Youth Center open, she'll be teaching gymnastic classes as well."

"In the meantime, I'm helping Kat plan the wedding and getting my footing here again. I'm glad to be home." I said.

"So, you didn't make the Olympic team?" Sandra asked. I shook my head. "What did you do between that time and now? Just sit on the beach all day?"

"No. I earned a general studies degree and started working on my singing career."

"A singer too? Let me guess; the gymnastics thing didn't work out, so you jumped couch to couch until you found something that you could make a so-called career. When singing didn't work out, you decided to head home because you couldn't afford to stay on your own two feet in Florida. I'm really sensing that you don't care about anyone but yourself, Kimberly." Sandra said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Mom!" Kat exclaimed, looking horrified.

"What? I call them how I see them. I would bet good money that you hopped from man to man in Florida too, just trying to find that one guy who made you feel that way that Tommy did when you were home."

"That's not true." Trini said. I could see her cheeks flushing, telling me she was angry. I shook my head, standing up.

"I should go." I said.

"Don't leave on my account. Please. I just wanted to know if I'm good at guess people's back stories as I usually am. Guessing by your reaction, I hit the nail on the head." Sandra sat back in her chair, satisfied. Tanya and Aisha exchanged horrified expressions.

"Actually, no. After I left here, I trained for the Olympics and earned a spot on the team. I broke my ankle after an accident, forcing me to quit. Then, I moved in with my aunt who had stage four breast cancer. I cared for her, working any kind of odd job I could to help support us both, including singing. After she died, I lost my home and was forced to move into a crap little apartment and take a crappy job because I had used all of my savings to take care of her. Trini and Jason offered me the chance to move back here after all of that. And for the record, there has been no other men after Tommy. There was a mistake that never went past a kiss but that's it. You can sit here and judge all of us because that's what you do but at least I have the nerve to tell you to shut the fuck up because you couldn't be any farther from the truth if you tried. And yeah, I might be freeloading with my friends and I don't have an actual job. I don't need you to tell me how shitty my life is right now. Trust me. I see it loud and clear every morning when I wake up. Enjoy your fucking tea."

Turning, I stormed out the side door. I made my way through the garage and outside where the sun was gone, the moon beginning to rise behind storm clouds rolling in. Out in the distance, I could hear thunder and now and then, a flash of lightening would fill the sky. I walked at a quick pace away from Aisha's house, making it down the block in minutes. Absolute rage and dread filled my stomach. It was a mixture of the fact I hated the woman for what she said about Tommy and me and the fact everything she said was true. About me any way. I really was a nothing. My entire life has been a joke up until this moment, minus my time as a Power Ranger. I was going to be twenty-two years old with no job, $400 to my names altogether, and really no plan in sight. Meanwhile, my friends were getting engaged, buying houses, and working on careers that were going to point them in the right direction in life. I had let my life spiral so far out of control, I had no idea how to get it back on track. Everything I have done up until now has been nothing but a fuck up. How could I let this happen? How could I have done this to myself? Tears slipped down my cheeks as I entered Angel Grove Park.


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: Enjoy!

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Chapter Thirty-Three

The rain was threatening to fall as I rounded the back parking lot of the Youth Center. I didn't know why I was here. I had made such an angry dash through the park that I hadn't noticed I was approaching here until I saw the sign. I thought about going inside and asking Jason for a ride home, but I didn't want to cause an issue. By showing up here after yelling at Sandra, there would definitely be some kind of issue. Besides, it was Tommy's bachelor party. It wouldn't be right to crash that. Stopping in the parking lot, I looked around for a pay phone or some kind of business that might be open, so I could call a cab. I didn't see anything though, not even a grimy pay phone I could use. Granted, Jason and Trini's house wasn't too far that I couldn't walk but the heavy clouds above told me I would look like a drown rat by the time I got there. Why was this my life? Why couldn't something go my way just once? It was all I was asking for.

The sound of laughter filled the parking lot and I froze. This was a mistake. I suddenly realized this as I watched Adam, Jason and Rocky file out of the front door of the Youth Center. Zach wasn't too far behind them, all of them looking a bit surprised to see me standing there. It was too late for me to run, the group stopping around me. Music blasted from the door as it swung shut, silence filling the street again. "Kimmy! What are you doing here?" Rocky asked, smiling at me. I could tell there was alcohol in his system much like the rest of them. The drizzle was beginning to pick up again, the heavy rain drops falling now and then as thunder rolled over head.

"I bet the girls party wasn't any fun. Come to party with us?" Adam asked, glancing up at the sky. Behind him, I watched as Jason and Zach exchanged glances. I had to get out of here. Tommy wasn't out here yet. I could high tail it out of there before he saw me, and the other guys could just pretend I was never there or had seen me in passing.

"No. I was just out for some air." The door opened again, and Tommy stumbled out, carrying Billy by the arm. Billy looked like he was in poor shape, barely able to stand on his own and his face two shades paler than usual. There was a smile on his face though and he giggled when he saw me. Tommy, on the other hand, looked very surprised to see me. He did his best to keep Billy upright, the former blue ranger seemed to be all over the place as they walked.

"Kimberly! It's astounding to see you." He said, stumbling forward to give me a hug. I could smell the rum on his breath. It was like he bathed in it rather than drinking it. Billy never was a drinker, something we had tried to get him to do when we were kids. He always preferred to be the sober and responsible one though. I wondered for a second if Tommy had told him about the proposal. I hope he hadn't turned to drinking to make him feel better about it. That was my trick and I wasn't sure how I felt seeing another person do it instead.

"Hi, Billy. It's nice to see you too. Did you guys let him drink the whole bar?" I asked, helping him steady himself. Rocky shrugged, wobbling himself. These guys were going to be feeling it tomorrow, that's for sure.

"Everyone kept buying us shots at the bar we went to for dinner since it's Tommy's last night as a single man. We couldn't pass that up! I don't think Billy handled it as well as us though." Billy let out a loud giggle, flopping forward as he laughed. I straightened him again, stopping him from doing a face plant on the side walk.

"I see that." Adam stepped forward and took Billy by the arm and helped him towards Zach's car that was parked in the parking lot. Tommy shoved his hands in his pockets, not looking at me as he leaned against the wall behind him. The rest of the guys started after Adam, Zach and Jason lingering near us for a moment. I shot Jason a look before he turned away from me. The two of them followed after the group, a soft murmur between them as they walked away. Our friends. Friends I had put in the middle of all of this because I was too scared to tell Tommy the truth.

"I'm sorry about last night." Tommy said, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?" I asked.

"The way I reacted last night when you said you didn't think we should use the communicators. You were right. I should have seen that. I shouldn't have acted that way though. I'm sorry."

"You're fine, Tommy. Honestly." He looked relieved to hear me say that, taking a step closer to me as he pushed off the wall.

"How's Kat's party doing? Did she stick with the whole tea party theme?" He asked. I nodded.

"Sure did."

"I see why you left then. Did you want to join us? We're just going back to Jason's to drink some beer and make sure Billy doesn't die. I'm sure the guys won't mind. I mean, you do live there."

"Actually, I should get back. I was just out for some air."

"You walked all the way over here just to get some air?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I may have told your mother-in-law off." I replied. He looked at me in shock.

"You yelled at Sandra?" I nodded, biting my lip. "What happened?"

"She kept saying all these mean and horrible things about you and I just couldn't take it anymore. It's different when she's saying things about me that are true, but I couldn't handle her putting you down like that. It wasn't right. She kept insulting your job and your hair and the way you do things. It was driving me insane. Finally, I had enough and told her to shut her mouth. Things might be awkward at the wedding tomorrow because of what I said but I wasn't going to hear anymore of it."

"What did she say about you?" He asked, a serious expression on his face. It was like he hadn't heard a single thing I had just said about her insulting him. He only seemed to care about her comments about me. Sometimes, he was too caring for his own damn good.

"Nothing I didn't know before tonight." I muttered. I fiddled with my hands in front of me, knowing that I had to say something. Everything in my chest was tight except my heart that was beating rapidly in my chest, begging to be given a voice. This was it. I had no other option left I could do. I had to top putting everyone in the middle of this mess and start doing things that needed to be done. God only knew what would happen next, but this band-aid had to get ripped off one way or another. Sandra had been right. I was in love with Tommy. There was nothing that could change that, but I could change the outcome tomorrow if he felt the same way. Tommy just might see that he didn't belong with Kat if he wasn't going to be happy with her. Even if he doesn't choose me, he could at least not agree to spend the rest of his life with a woman who he didn't even love.

"Kimberly, what's wrong? Are you okay?" His face looked concerned.

"Tommy, I came here to talk to you. I have to tell you something and I'm not sure how to say it." I said, already feeling the tears form in my eyes.

"Well, try. You're starting to scare me." I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Above, rain drops were beginning to fall harder. Now and then, I felt them land of my face and shoulders as I stood in front of Tommy. Opening them, I looked up at Tommy. My Tommy. The love of my life since I was 14 years old. The boy I thought I would grow old with. The boy whose heart I broke who still had a steady hold on mine. The very boy, with long brown hair and soft warm eyes that could melt any one's heart if he tried hard enough, that I would do everything in my power to be with him again.

"I'm in love with you, Tommy. I've loved you since the moment I first met you and I never stopped loving you." A silent tension filled the air between us as the weight of the words I had spoken fell over us. Inside, it felt like someone had lifted a thousand-pound weight off of my shoulders as the words circled around us. His eyes widened for a moment, his mouth opening and closing. He was speechless. I could tell from the way he wanted to speak but couldn't. "I don't expect anything from you knowing this, Tommy. I just thought you should know before you marry Kat tomorrow."

"I'm getting married tomorrow." He said in a soft tone. He sounded like he was reminding himself rather than speaking to me. "I'm getting married. Tomorrow." He said slightly louder. He looked at me, his expression turning hard. "How long have you known you felt this way?"

"Since I before I sent the letter." I said softly. "I loved you then and I knew what a big mistake I had made the moment I made it, but it was already too late."

"Too late? Too late?! You could have picked up the phone and told me! You could have written me another letter, telling me you still felt this way. I was so madly in love with you that it about broke me in half when I got that letter. You could have picked any time in the last two years to tell me you felt this way and you waited until the night before my wedding day to break the news? Jesus Christ, Kimberly." He ran a hand through his hair, putting the other on his hip. I felt a tear slide down my cheek as I wrapped my arms around myself. It was full out pouring now, rain soaking the both of us. His wet hair clung to his face and I could only imagine that I looked like an absolute mess. At least it mixed with my tears which were flowing like a faucet.

"I know. I know. I'm sorry. This is horrible timing, but I couldn't go any longer without telling you. I thought for sure once I helped you start planning the wedding, the feelings would go away. But they didn't. I've tried everything I can to get over you. I thought ignoring your existence would help but it just made me miss you even more. I thought by me telling you, it would give me the closure I needed to do it. Like I said, I know you're getting married tomorrow and I don't expect you to feel the same way. Not after what I did to you. But I just needed to get it off my chest."

"You can't just come here and say this to me! Not after everything that happened when you left. I thought it would be us getting married someday. That you would come home, and we would do the whole college deal and then get married. Hell, I would have married you in Florida if you wanted me to. I would have died for you and you tossed what we had aside for some guy you thought was better for you. Why? Why was I not good enough for you then but I am now?" He asked, hurt searing on his face.

"You had Kat here! You were spending all your free time with her. I thought I was helping you by breaking up with you. Tanya and Aisha had said that you liked her, and she was such a good thing for you. She wasn't 3,000 miles away like I was, and she could make you happy. I thought she would be the better choice and you could grow to love her like you did me. I couldn't keep you from your life any more than I already had."

"You don't get it, do you?" He asked, shaking his head. "You were my life." Tommy took three long strides and was suddenly in front of me. Before I knew what was happening, he wrapped himself around me and kissed me in the most emotion filled kiss I had ever felt in my life. I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly as he lifted me off the ground. I felt all the raw emotions he was feeling as his lips moved with mine. I couldn't move in his grip and I didn't care. It was where I wanted to be. This is what I had dreamed of since I had dropped that dreaded letter in the mailbox that sunny afternoon. It didn't matter that it was raining or that I was certain people were whistling at us from the main road. Everything that had been left unsaid between the two of us was coming out now, nothing holding it back anymore. His strong hands held me against his body and I clung to his wet shirt like it was a life preserver and I was floating in the Atlantic Ocean. He was everything I needed him to be.

After what felt like a lifetime we pulled away for some much need oxygen. He pressed his forehead against mine as we struggled to catch our breath. Water trailed from the top of his head down his face as he closed his eyes. "Tommy…" I breathed, placing my hands on his cheeks. He didn't look up when I touched him. Instead, he shook his head and set me down on my wobbly legs.

"I can't do this." He said softly, taking a step backwards.

"What?" I asked, confused. "What do you mean you can't do this?"

"I'm sorry. I have to go." He turned and headed up the alley.

"Tommy! Wait!" I called out. He kept waking though, disappearing in the direction of the car where his friends were waiting. A sob emitted from my lips as I collapsed to my knees


	34. Chapter 34

A/N: I hope you guys don't hate me! I felt terrible for Kim while I wrote it and for you all when I posted it. I hope this next chapter will make up for it. Thank you for all of the reviews!

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Chapter Thirty-Four

I managed to make it home, Zach's car parked in the drive way as I walked up the sidewalk towards the steps. I was soaking wet, water seeping in through my clothes and my hair but I didn't care. I opted for the back door, knowing the guys would be in the living room. Poking my head in the door, I saw the dining room and kitchen were empty and could hear Rocky and Zach laughing from the living room. Closing the door behind me, I did my best to be quiet. It wasn't enough though as Jason came in from the living room, the cordless phone to his ear.

"I have her, Trini. She just walked in the door." He said, stopping in front of me. He held out the phone, a look of worry on his face. I took the receiver from her, bringing it to my ear.

"Hello?" I said, my voice hoarse.

"Oh, thank god. Kim, I was so worried. Jason said you were at the Youth Center and then they couldn't find you. Are you alright?" Trini's worried voice said in my ear.

"I'm okay. I think I'm going to stay here tonight, and I'll meet you in the morning." I said, automatic motions happening. Everything was numb. I didn't have the energy to act any other way.

"Do you want me to come home?" She asked.

"No. I'm fine. Really. I'll just see you in the morning." I replied. She must have known what happened at the Youth Center. The guys had seen everything. They had only been so far away when we had kissed. My heart hurt at the memory of the kiss.

"Alright. Call me if you need anything though."

"I will." I handed the phone back to Jason.

"Hey. I will. Okay. I will." He said into the receiver. "I'll drop her off in the morning on the way to the Youth Center. You get some sleep, okay? I love you. Night." He pressed the button on the phone to end the call and let his arm drop to his side. Stepping forward, he wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug the I returned. "You okay?" He whispered. I shook my head, my face bumping against his chest. "Well, you did it. You finally told him. I'm sorry it happened like this though."

"Me too." I said softly, pulling away. "I'm going to head to bed. I'll see you guys in the morning, okay?" He nodded.

"Okay. If you need me, I'm just a three-foot walk away." I nodded.

"I know. Night, Jase."

"Night, Kim." I walked around him and towards the stairs. Rounding the corner, I saw that the guys were all lounging around the living room. Sleeping bags were set up on the floor, Billy snoring away in one of them. Rocky and Zach were playing fighting in the corner while Adam sat on the couch, playing with a video game on the TV. Tommy was slouched on the couch, his shirt wet from his hair. Our eyes met for a moment as I climbed the first three steps.

"Hey, Kimmy!" Rocky said, smiling up at me.

"Hey." I replied. "I'm heading to bed. Keep an eye on Billy. Make sure he doesn't get sick in the middle of the night."

"Okay. See you in the morning!" Rocky waved, turning back to Zach who gave me a look of sympathy. I gave him a small smile, before climbing up the stairs. Once I was in my room, I closed the door and let out a loud sob.

I was a fucking idiot. What did I really expect from him? He was getting married to a woman he had been with for two years now. Tomorrow. Did I really think he would just change his mind, leave her, and decide to be with me? Especially after everything I had done to him. He had every right in the world to be upset with him for hiding the truth and for turning me down. Who wanted to be with someone who hid something like that from them for so long? It was like throwing something away and then wanting to find it months later. It's damn near impossible and it was foolish of me to think otherwise. And unlike popular opinion, I did not feel better after talking to him. If anything, I felt worse. This feeling of rejection felt like a hot poker to the heart. I was pretty certain now that it had been a mistake to come back here. I didn't belong here anymore than I belonged in Florida.

Walking over to my closet, I grabbed my suitcase and unzipped it. Grabbing whatever I could in my closet, I shoved my clothes into it. I wasn't even sure what I was grabbing at this point. All I cared about was getting the job done. After it was filled with clothes, I moved onto my dresser where my important papers and items were. I scooped up my passport, birth certificate, and driver's license before putting them in the top pocket of the suitcase. I shoved everything in there, zipping it up. Paris was calling my name. I could go there and just see how I like it. Maybe France was where I needed to be. A fresh start in a new country. It could be just what I needed to forget everything that's happened in the last two weeks. Tossing my bag at the foot of the bed, I changed into a t-shirt and shorts. There was no point in going to the airport yet. I would wait until morning, early, when I knew the guys would be asleep and I could sneak out then.

Walking over to the bed, I sat down with a pad of paper and a pen. I wrote a letter to each person in our group, telling them why I was leaving. I thanked Jason and Trini for letting me stay there and for helping me. I told Aisha and Rocky that I would love to come visit their new house when I was ready. I told Billy I wished him luck with his wife and that I would talk to him via communicator once I was settled in. I asked Zach to come visit when he was done with his current stint on Broadway and I wished Adam good luck with his band. I also wrote a letter for Kat, telling her that things just weren't ready for me to be back in town, but I was glad I could help her plan her wedding. Lastly, I wrote Tommy a letter. It was short, but it thanked him for showing me what I had been missing the last two years and I wished him luck with his life.

As I finished Tommy's letter, I heard a light rapping on my door. The house had gone quiet before this, telling me the guys had gone to sleep. I had even heard Jason come upstairs and go to his room. I set the note pad down on the bed, knowing it had to be Jason knocking. Or even Trini. She may have changed her mind and came home anyway to check on me. It sounded very much like a Trini sort of thing. "Jason, for the last time, I'm fine." I said, pulling the door open. Jason wasn't standing there though. Neither was Trini. Tommy stood in the door way, his silhouette illuminated by the light of my bedroom light. I let out a little gasp at the sight of him, shocked to see him standing there. "Tommy, I-."

He didn't let me finish my thought as he stepped forward and pressed his lips against mine. It startled me, causing me to trip backwards slightly. He caught me though, wrapping his arms around me as he entered the room. He kicked more door shut with his foot as he pulled me against his body. I mentally told myself to fight it, but I found my physical self wrapping my arms around his neck and deepening the kiss. His hands travelled up and down my back while mine disappeared into the dark tendrils on his head. His kiss was hungry, searching for something as he darted his tongue over my bottom lip. I opened my mouth, letting him in. Our tongues met in a heated duel and he lifted me off the ground. Instinctively, my legs wrapped around his waist and he pressed me even more against his body. Was this really happening? What about earlier when he said he couldn't do this?

Those thoughts vanished as he walked over to my bed and sat down. I grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled up. His lips escaped mine long enough for me to pull the shirt over his head, exposing his bare chest. He tugged my shirt off as well, the cool air feeling soothing on my skin. His fingers danced over my back as our lips met again. He trailed down my throat, his tongue massaging the area where my pulse pumped under my skin. My head rolled back, giving him more room to work with. His teeth grazed the area, making a soft moan emit from my lips. It had been so long since someone has touched me like this. Well, since Tommy's touched me like this. There had been no one else after him and the memories of his skin against mine returned as my bare chest brushed against his.

Tommy's mouth left my neck and trailed lower, leaving a trail of kisses over my collar bone. His lips circled around the bud of my left breast and a hiss slipped through my teeth. He nibbled on it, the warmth of my mouth making it harden. His hand fondled the other one, giving both attentions. A whimper came from me as he pinched the nipple between his thumb and forefinger. My fingers tangled themselves in his hair as he switched sides, taking my other breast in his mouth. The tip of his tongue flicked my skin and it made my toes curl underneath me. "Tommy." I breathed, my eyes closing. He left my chest, kissing me again.

Sliding to the edge of the bed, he stood as he still held me in his arms. Turning around, he laid me on the bed. My hair fanned out around me head as he ran his hands down my body. He tucked his thumbs into the back of my underwear and slid them down my legs. I watched as he undid the button of his jeans and slid them off his body. Sitting up, I pulled down his green flannel boxers and he stepped out of them. Climbing over me, Tommy positioned himself, so he was in between my legs. Pressing his lips to mine, he ran his right hand down my body until his fingers grazed through my damp curls. His index fingers stroked the sensitive skin between my folds and I left out a muffled cry into his mouth. He repeated the action, over and over again. The pressure built, my breaths quickening, and my hands clutched to his back. My nails dug into the skin as I did my best to remain quiet as I felt the orgasm build. It grew harder as he slid his fingers inside of me, them seeming to hit a sweet spot in my body that made my back arch.

"Do you remember when I last made you feel like this?" He whispered in my ear, his hot breath on my neck. I nodded, barely able to do that, let alone speak. He picked up his pace and it sent me into an orgasm, the waves of pleasure crashing over me so intensely that I nearly lept of the bed. He held me in place, continuing to stroke me as I rode through the waves. I reached out my hand and found him, his hard member between his legs. He hissed as I wrapped my hand around the shaft and ran it up and down. I felt it stiffen under my touch and he began to move his fingers faster to match my pace. His free hand covered my mouth as my whimpers grew louder. Two of his fingers slipped in and out of me while his thumb stroked the soft nub of my clitoris. Each time he touched it, it felt like the temperature of my skin rose ten degrees. I sped up my hand, squeezing gently to add more pressure. He buried his face into my hair his breath becoming heavy.

He pulled his hand from my pelvic area and gently removed my hand from his body as he shifted to put his thighs against mine. I longed for his touch, my orgasm just on the verge when he stopped. Tommy looked down at me, nonverbally asking me for permission. I nodded and I felt him adjust himself until the tip of his penis was against my opening. The friction built as he slowly slid inside of me, my body taking him in all the way to the hilt of his shaft. Laying back over my body, he gently kissed me as he became to move his hips back and forth. Each movement was another pump into my body, another stroke against that sweet spot. I wrapped my arms around Tommy's back, my fingers running over the muscles that tightened with each thrust.

"Beautiful." He whispered, his breaths coming out in pants as he quickened his pace. I spread my legs wider, allowing him more access as he did. The oncoming orgasm was growing again, this time larger. It made my legs tremble, my toes curls and sweat form on my skin. Sweat also coated him, mixing with mine as our bodies pressed together. Every bad thing that's happened to me in the last two years suddenly felt like it never happened. It almost felt like that night in his uncle's cabin, the two of us laying together like this as a way to say our goodbyes. Tommy has always been a compassionate lover. Even as a teenaged boy, he always made sure to put my needs and wellbeing first before his own. He was gentle and attentive, making me feel like I was the only girl in the world that mattered. Our eyes locked as we moved together, and I felt that raw connection we had. The love that had been there that night and the hurt he had been hiding, knowing I was going to be leaving. He had told me so much that night without as much as saying a word, his actions speaking loudly more than any word could have. Tommy's love for me was for fierce and so true that he never even had to say it. As he looked at me now, I knew it was still there. Tommy Oliver was my soul mate. Our hearts were meant to be together, no matter what happened. There was no amount of distance or time or alien scum that could change that. The way he looked down at me right now told me everything I would ever need to know about how he felt about me. He loved me too. I could see it in the brown pools that searched my face for the same reaction.

"Tommy." I whispered, feeling the orgasm coming. He nodded, burying his face into my neck and letting his teeth graze my collar bone.

"Kimberly." He rasped, his hips bucking faster. The sound of his skin slapping against mine echoed in the room and my senses began to fog over as the first waves of an orgasm hit again. My back arched, pressing my body against him and my nails into the skin on his back as it hit me like a freight train. I felt him spasm inside of me as well, him calling my name into my neck as he went over the edge as well. I closed my eyes, living for the moment we were having together. His arms were wrapped around me tightly, his lips gently kissing my neck and working their way to my lips. I allowed my back to returned to the bed and he shifted so he was cupping my face with his hands. We kissed with so much emotion and passion that it took my breath away more than the love we had just made. My heart pounded in my chest as I felt a tear trickle down my cheek. With his thumb, he stroked it away.

"Tommy, I-." I whispered.

"Shhh." He said, cutting me off. "C'mon." He helped me sit up enough so that he could pull the blanket over the both of us from the top of the bed. I curled up underneath it, him wrapping his arms around me and pulling me against him. He stroked the top of my head, my eyes feeling heavy.

My eyes slowly opened, sleep making them feel like my eyelids weighed a ton each. I was met with darkness, my bedroom dark around me. It was still before sunrise. I must have drifted off. Rolling over, I saw that the alarm clock on the side table read 4:03 AM in the red light. Squinting, I tried to remember when I had fallen asleep. My memories returned when I realized I was naked under the covers, my bare skin against the bed sheet underneath me. "Tommy?" I said, turning the light on next to me. To my surprise, I was alone in the bed. The space he had been when I fell asleep was empty. I frowned, sitting up. Had he gone back downstairs? Or had he gotten up to go to the bathroom? I listened for a moment, not hearing movement in there. Shifting, I heard something crinkle under the blanket. Moving it, I found a folded piece of paper on the bed. Picking it up, I read it.

 _ **Dear Beautiful,**_

 _ **I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up. You looked so peaceful in your sleep I didn't want to wake you. I'm also sorry that you need to read this in a letter. As a person whose been through this first hand, I know how much it can hurt to read the words that are about to break your heart.**_

 _ **Kimberly, I have to marry Kat. I made a promise to her that I would become her husband and even though she's had her issues in the past, she doesn't deserve to have this happen to her. She's a good person and deserves to have a husband that is willing to be committed to her. I might not have those feelings for her yet, but I know that someday, I will be able to build a good relationship with her. She wants a family, something I hope I can give her. By not marrying her, I'm turning my back on the life I promised her, and I can't bring myself to do that. It wouldn't be fair to her. I wish that things could be different and that we were living in a different lifetime. One that would have stopped us from growing apart and one that would allow us to be together.**_

 _ **Last night was a mistake. Not that we were together but that I allowed you to think that something was going to happen. I shouldn't have let things get to this place. I'm messed up and I've dragged you into everything wrong in my life. I never wanted any of this to happen and I never wanted to hurt you. You are the best thing to happen to me. Loosing you was the worst thing to happen to me. It hurts me that we can't be together, but this is something I need to do.**_

 _ **I don't know how else to express how sorry I am. I'll understand if you hate me and never want to see me again. Just know that I don't regret a moment I spent with you or the night we spent together.**_

 _ **Love always,**_

 _ **Tommy**_

Tears clouded my eyes, making it harder for me to read the end of the letter. I shook my head, not believing what I was reading. After telling him how I felt. After spending the night together. He was still going to marry Kat. Nothing had changed. It was as if I had never told him. No matter what I did, he was so committed to doing the right thing by Kat that he wasn't going to consider the feelings between us. Sobs escaped my lips as I hugged the letter to my chest. This couldn't be right. It shouldn't be right. It wasn't fair. He couldn't be doing this to me. To himself. How could he just throw his happiness away to make someone he wasn't even in love with happy?

Tossing the blankets off of me, I quickly dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt. I pulled a hoodie on over that and pulled a brush through my hair. It hurt, the knots and the snarls catching on the teeth of the brush, but I didn't mind the pain. Everything felt numb. I threw the brush into my suitcase and put my purse on my shoulder. Grabbing my suitcase and the letters I had written, I quietly made my way out of my bedroom and down the stairs. All of the boys (minus Tommy) were passed out in the living room, light snores travelling around the house. I stepped into the dining room and set my letters on the dining room table. I set the coffee pot to make coffee in two hours, when the boys would be stirring to get ready for the wedding. They would need it with the amount of alcohol they had all consumed, Billy especially. I moved silently to the back door, opening it. The sun was just peaking over the horizon as I made my way out the door and into the driveway. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, a seemingly perfect day for a wedding. A wedding that shouldn't be happening. But, it was. No matter what.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five 

"Hello?" A groggy voice said on the other end of the phone as my mother answered.

"Hi, Mom! It's Kimberly. Sorry if I woke you up." I apologized, running my hand over the cord of the pay phone. It was metal, small groves in the length of it as it connected the receiver to the black base.

"It's fine. Just taking a nap. How are you, dear?" She replied, muffled movement behind her.

"I'm okay. How are things there?"

"Can't complain. Been working a lot in hopes of getting some saved up for vacation at the end of the year. You should come! I was thinking of spending the weekend in Spain. It'll be a fun girl's trip. I haven't seen you in so long. We could make up for that."

"Well, actually, that's why I was calling you. I'm waiting for a plane to Paris right now, Mom. I thought it would be nice to surprise you." Around me, the hustle and bustle of the Angel Grove airport moved along. People walked to and from air planes to bag claims, gathering their belongings to get on with their busy day.

"Kimberly, that's terrific! When does your flight get in? I'll come pick you up." She sounded excited, the tone of her voice changing. I felt guilty, knowing I should have come before this. It wouldn't have killed me to come visit once a year before this.

"It'll be about 10 tomorrow morning for you. Sorry to spring this on you in such notice."

"Honey, don't worry about it! I'm just glad you are coming for a visit and finally using that ticket I bought you. How long will you be here for? I'll have to see if I can take off work for a few days."

"It's not for a visit. I was hoping I could stay with you until I can get my own place." I replied, leaning against the wooden divider that separated the pay phones for privacy.

"You are coming to stay? Wow. Are you sure about this? I know the last time we talked about this, you said you didn't think you could leave the states." A silence fell between us. "Kimberly, did something happen?" I felt tears well in my eyes again as my sweet mother asked me such a simple question.

"I just need a fresh start. I can explain it better when I see you. Let me give you my flight information so you can pick me up." I rattled off my flight number and the other information she would need so she could find me. All I wanted to do was tell her and have her hug me so that I knew everything would be alright. Even though I knew it wouldn't be.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then. Be safe, honey. And if you need anything, make sure to use that emergency credit card I gave you."

"Mom, I'll be fine. See you in a bit. Love you."

"Love you, too." I heard the phone hang up and I set my end back in the holder. Closing my eyes, I let a tear slip down my cheek. Wiping it away with the back of my hand, I tucked my purse against me as I turned back towards the area where my fellow travelers were waiting for our plane. Parents and their kids were sitting in the hard-plastic chairs, taking in the busy airport. Couples, who I assumed were all on their honeymoons, whispered to one another as they held hands. I bypassed them, not being able to look at them without a pang sting in my chest.

I took my previous post of standing by the windows that ran floor to ceiling. It overlooked the tarmac, giving me the chance to see planes being taxied to and from terminals as they either loaded or unloaded passengers. Workers were on the ground, tossing around luggage like circus performers juggling. Some of them wore bright yellow vests while others had bright orange wands they used to direct traffic. There were about six of them and in the three hours I had spent watching them, I had assigned them all made up names and invented life stories for them. Their stories, unlike mine, were all happy. They were either working their way through school or trying to earn enough money to buy their girls engagement rings. It had been a long morning, that's for sure. I had watched the sun rise completely through this window, the bright gold and red colors seeping across the sky. It was beautiful and made me smile when I saw it. The colors were gone now, though, leaving just a blue sky without a cloud to be seen.

"Flight number 0611AE will be boarding in thirty minutes." A woman's voice said over the loud speaker above our heads. I heard shifting as people began to locate their tickets and boarding passes. Mine was tucked into the outside pocket of my purse, my suitcase probably on one of the carts waiting to be loaded below. Off in the distance, I saw a white plane with a printed picture of the Eiffel Tower on the side of it being taxied towards a terminal on the left side of the window. It didn't take a genius to figure out it was more than likely the plane I would be riding on for the next 15 hours. There would be a layover in New York City, something I wasn't all too thrilled about, but I would be out of the country shortly after that.

One would probably think I'm a coward. That I am running from my problem, something I'm extremely talented at by now. And, they would probably be right. If this was a romantic comedy, I would be waiting to run in and tell everyone that I objected to the wedding because of how much I loved Tommy. Hell, I half considered it on the cab ride here. This wasn't a movie though. There was no Julia Roberts playing me or a Richard Gere looking for me. Instead, there was a Tommy who had made it clear where he stood on the whole thing. He was going to marry Kat regardless of his feelings or mine. There was no use in trying to stop something that was meant to be in his eyes. So, that was why I stood here.

I had been lucky when I arrived at the airport. There was still room left on the only flight heading to Paris today and the airline would allow me to use the ticket my mother had for me. I was grateful to be getting out of here but sad at the same time. I hadn't had time to tell Trini or anyone else I was leaving. By now, they had hopefully found my letters. Glancing at the clock, the time read 12:30. The wedding ceremony would be in full swing right now if not already over. Kat was probably already Mrs. Tommy Oliver, a title that I will envy her for probably for the rest of my life. It didn't matter how much I tried to convince myself that I could just get over him. It was something that I knew wouldn't happen. I have spent so much of my life loving him from afar, it was like breathing to me. And unless there was a way to live without doing that, I didn't see much hope of forgetting Tommy. I would just have to learn to live with this achy feeling in my chest that I knew was a symptom of a broken heart.

I had no real plan in mind once I got to Paris. I knew my mom would let me stay with her for as long as I wanted, especially now that her divorce from Pierre was finalized. Maybe I could go back to school and finish the degree I started in Florida. Or find a way to build on my singing career. There had to be something I could do there to make a name for myself. To find a way for me to be something better than what I was now. I couldn't let myself be this person any more. I was tired of being broken and tired of being the lost girl in this world. Even if it meant painting that fake smile on my face every single day, I wasn't going to let this define me. Living with this sort of pain wasn't going to be easy but I have never had it easy. This was going to be the turning point in my life whether I have to force it or not.

Over my shoulder, I heard a little chiming noise. It made my heart perk up for a moment, sounding an awful lot like the communicators. It fell though when I saw a little boy playing with a handheld game in a chair not too far away. It must have been that making the noise. I turned back to the window, but the noise went off again. Looking back at the kid, I watched as his mother took the game and turned it off. The noise repeated, telling me I hadn't been hearing things. Turning back to the window, I pulled my purse open and fished through it. I found the communicator at the bottom of the bag where I had hidden it the night I told Tommy I couldn't talk to him on it any more. It chirped in my hand as I pulled it out. I bit my lip, wondering if I should answer it. It couldn't be Tommy. He was busy getting married right now. Maybe it was Billy's wife trying to contact him. Or it was malfunctioning.

"Kimberly." Tommy's voice said through the speaker. My breath hitched in my throat as I heard his voice. I slipped the communicator on my wrist, staring at the silver watch. "Kim, are you there?"

"Tommy, what do you need?" I whispered, pressing the button on the side. There was some static after I spoke, filling in the absence of voices.

"I need you to turn around." He replied, the crackling static disappearing as he spoke. My heart leapt up into my throat as I slowly turned on my heel. I looked around, wondering what was going on. My eyes fell on a group standing off at the end of the terminal. My breath vanished as I saw Trini and Aisha standing there in their yellow bridesmaid dresses, hopping up and down as they waved their arms in my direction. Jason stood next to Trini, his hands cupped around his mouth and I could faintly hear him calling my name. They were too far away for me to really hear it though. Adam and Zach were waving too and Rocky and Billy were doubled over, trying to catch their breaths. Both looked like they had run marathons, Billy leaning against the wall. All of the boys were dressed in their grey tuxes, looking just as handsome as they had when we went to try them on. And, standing in front of them all in his black tux, was Tommy.

"What are you doing here?" I breathed, not believing what I was seeing. What were they all doing here? People passed them, glancing at them with weird expressions. They were quite the site to see, formally dressed people screaming their heads off. Security stood in front of them, not letting them anywhere closer without a ticket.

"You can't get on that plane, beautiful. Please. I need you to come here so I can talk to you." He said. I could see his arm in front of his face. I guess the cat was out of the bag about the communicator thing now.

"Tommy, I can't. Where's Kat? You should be at your wedding."

"There was no wedding." He answered. "I told Kat I couldn't marry her because I am still so madly in love with you."

"Flight 0611AE is now boarding." The woman said over my head. People stood up, starting to file towards the gate.

"My flight is boarding. You need to go back to Kat." I whispered.

"Beautiful, don't go. I know I messed up. I shouldn't have done this to you. I shouldn't have pushed you to do this and I should have seen it this whole time. I was an idiot for not realizing how much you loved me and how much you are the person I was supposed to be with. Please. Don't get on that plane."

"It's too late for us." I said, tears welling in my eyes again. It was amazing the number of tears the human body could cry. It was a surprise I was dehydrated by this point.

"No, it's not." He said, his voice cracking. "The biggest mistake I ever made was letting you leave for Florida without telling you how much you meant to me. I can't let you leave without knowing it now. If you get on that plane, I will be on the next one to Paris. I am willing to follow you to the ends of the Earth if it means showing you just how much I love you. I let you walk out of my life without fighting once already. I can't let it happen again."

"Tommy, I…" I trailed off, glancing over at the gate. The line was thinning out, the last few people getting ready to board.

"Look at me. Kim, look at me. Please." He pleaded. I shifted so I was looking at him again. From here, I could see the desperation on his face. "I love you. I love you more than anything else in this world. Please give me the chance to make up for everything I've done. I am going to spend the rest of my life loving you. Let me spend the rest of that life loving you here with me."

"Ma'am?" A man's voice said next to me. I turned my tear streaked face to see who was speaking. I found an airport employee, dressed in a blue uniform standing there. He gave me a soft smile. "Are you going to board? You're the last one and I need to close the gate."

"I…" I whispered.

"Beautiful, please. I'm begging you. Don't go." Tommy's voice begged through the communicator.

"I can't. I'm sorry." I said into the communicator. I nodded towards the man next to me. He turned towards the gate and I fished out my ticket from my purse. Handing it to him, I closed my eyes. I couldn't bear to look at Tommy.

"We don't get many of those." The man said, typing something into the computer in the podium in front of him.

"Sorry?" I asked, opening my eyes.

"Guys trying to stop girls getting on planes. Usually it's tear filled good-byes. It's sad, really. I always hate watching people have to say good-bye to the people they love. If they love someone and they want to be together, you would think the universe would try to help them a little better to stay together. I just think that sometimes, you have to make your own future and not let others try to decide it for you. You only get one life and it's a shame to waste it by not being with the person you love." He pressed enter and handed me back my boarding pass. "You're all set!"

"I can't board." I whispered, looking at the man. "I can't leave him." The man grinned, nodding.

"Good luck." He said.

"Thank you." I shoved the boarding pass back into my purse and turned. I could still see the group standing at the end of the terminal, Jason giving tommy a hug. I started running towards them, my sneakers slapping the tile floor under my feet. "TOMMY!" I yelled out, my voice echoing off the high walls around me. He stood up straight, looking to see who was calling his name. His eyes widened when he saw me, the security guard shifting to look over her shoulder to see as well. The woman stepped out of the way, nodding at Tommy. He started running too, his long legs bringing him towards me.

When we met in the middle of the terminal, his strong arms picked me up of the ground as I wrapped mine around him. I pressed my lips against his, my tears mixing with him as he squeezed me tight against his body. I felt him shudder as a soft sob came from him into our kiss. Pulling my lips away from his, I buried my face into his neck and held on to him for dear life. "I'm sorry." I cried. "I'm so sorry."

"Shhh." He whispered, setting me back on the ground. He cupped my face in his hands, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. "It's my fault. I never should have let you go so easily before. But I promise I'm never going to let you go now."

"I love you. I love you so much." I whispered. He smiled, kissing my forehead.

"I love you too, Beautiful. I love you, too." WE kissed again, applause coming from our friends and the security guards behind us.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty-Six

After a few more moments to ourselves, Tommy took my hand and led me through security and back to our group where Trini and Aisha prompted attacked me with a group bear hug. I held them close, giving them both a tight squeeze. Pulling away, both of them dabbed their eyes with tissues I had seen the woman security guard give them. "That was beautiful." Trini said, wiping her eyes. "I'm so happy you guys found each other again."

"Took long enough." Aisha said, smiling at me.

"Ain't that the truth." Jason added, smirking at me. He gave me a wink before wrapping an arm around my shoulders. He hugged me into his side, letting out a little laugh. "You owe me big time for the parking ticket I probably have for parking in the taxi lane."

"Okay." I said, laughing. "What the hell happened? How did you guys all get here? What happened with the wedding?" Jason released me, and Tommy took his place.

"I just told Katherine that it wouldn't be fair to marry her when I still felt the way I do about you. That's all." Tommy replied.

"In the middle of her walking down the aisle." Zach piped in, stepping towards us. Adam was behind him, trying to help Billy stand up straight. I gaped at Zach, shifting to look at Tommy.

"You left in the MIDDLE of the wedding ceremony?"

"Well, no. More like the beginning. It's a long story and I can explain it on the way back to the Youth Center." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"We're going back to the wedding?" I asked.

"The caterer left all the food and we have a cake. Best to not let it go to waste." He replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Yes! Food!" Rocky called out, his face brightening up.

Our group made our way out of the airport, my suitcase already on its way to Paris. I would need to have my Mom get it when the plane landed and ask her to mail it back to me. I'm sure she would be upset when she found out I wouldn't be coming after all. Jason told me as we climbed into Trini's car that I could call her from the Youth Center. Jason, Trini, Tommy and I were in Trini's car and everyone else piled into Rocky's jeep. Thankfully, no one had a ticket waiting for them and we were on the highway in no time, once we were passed the airport traffic. I snuggled into Tommy's side, a place I didn't plan on moving from any time soon. He wrapped his arm around me and kissed the top of my head.

"You do look pretty handsome in that suit." I said, adjusting his tie.

"Thanks. I had the cutest wedding consultant help pick me out." He replied.

"I'll have to meet her sometime."

"I think that can be arranged." He whispered, leaning in to kiss me. From the front seat, I heard Jason scoff and I saw him roll his eyes at us. I let out a giggle, a smile on my face that just didn't seem to want to disappear.

As we neared the Youth Center, I saw there were still a fair number of cars parked in the parking lot. Jason pulled into an empty spot, Rocky following suit next to us. We all climbed out, me feeling a bit under dressed compared to all of them in their wedding attire. Taking my hand, Tommy led me into the Youth Center as we followed behind Jason. There was a group of people inside, mingling around. I instantly recognized Jason and Tommy's parents, talking to one another by the juice bar. Rocky's mother was sitting with Aisha's parents at one of the tables, Mr. Campbell telling a story that was making Mrs. DeSantos laugh loudly. I saw a number of Tommy's extended family members, mingling around the room. Trini's parents were also here, speaking quietly with Aisha's grandmother. To my surprise, I saw Bulk and Skull at the back of the room. The two hadn't changed since the last time I had seen them. Bulk did look like he had lost some weight though and Skull was sporting a dark goatee. The two were eating food that had been set out for the cocktail hour, talking to David who seemed amused by the two.

"Looks like everyone stayed for the free food." Zach said, glancing around the room. Tommy nodded.

"Good thing. I didn't think we would be able to eat through all the food, even with Rocky here." Tommy replied. His mother spotted us from the other side of the room and she smiled. Excusing herself, Amelia Oliver walked towards us.

"Kimberly, it's so good to see you." The tall, raven haired woman said as she hugged me. I gave her a gentle squeeze back, the smell of lavender filling my senses. Pulling away, I smiled at her.

"Hi, Mrs. Oliver. It's good to see you too." I replied.

"I am so happy that Tommy realized what we all knew before it was too late." She said, grinning at her son. Tommy shook his head, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Me too." I replied, smiling up at him. "We both did."

"Uh oh." Aisha said, walking towards me. I gave her a confused look, but I had my answer when I saw Sandra and Frank emerge from the hallway of the Youth Center. I felt Tommy stiffen next to me, telling me he had seen them as well. Amelia frowned when she noticed what we were looking at.

"Yes. I was going to tell you. Katherine left with your friend Tanya, but her parents were waiting for you. Especially the mother." Sandra scanned the room and when her eyes landed on us, her cheeks reddened and she beelined it right for us. Frank trailed behind her, trying to get her attention. She paid no mind to him though as she stopped in front of us.

"I knew this was going to happen. I knew it as soon as I saw the way you two looked at each other when we were here that first day. Katherine kept telling me that you were such a standup guy and that nothing was going on between the two of you, but I knew better. Now, you are going to apologize to our daughter and make this right. I don't care if you think you have this lost love things going on between the two of you. You made a promise to Katherine that you would get married and I am not going to let a long-haired punk treat her like this." Sandra seethed, glaring at the both of us.

"Sandra, it's Tommy's choice on who he gets to be with." Amelia said, coming to her son's defend.

"If you raised him better, we wouldn't be in this situation." Sandra snapped, pointing at Tommy's mother.

"Don't speak to my mother like that." Tommy said, holding a hand up to separate the two women. "I told you I wasn't going to marry your daughter. I'm sorry but that' how it's going to be."

"No, it's not! You are going to marry her, and you are going to tell her that this was all a big misunderstanding."

"Sandra, knock it off." Frank scoffed, stepping in front of his wife. "The boy said his piece and did Kat a favor. Would you rather him tell her now or wait a few years and cause a messy divorce? At least this way, Kat doesn't have to go through all that. She's going to be fine. She's a big girl with a good head on her shoulders. Let it go." Sandra gasped, glaring up at her husband.

"Frank! You're just going to let him get away with this?" She asked. Frank glanced at Tommy and smiled.

"I think so." She huffed, turning and storming away from her husband and out of the room. It instantly felt less hostile once she was gone. I took Tommy's hand in mine and felt it was clammy. He had been nervous about speaking with them, something I didn't judge him for. That woman was evil, giving Rita a run for her money.

"Mr. Hillard, I am truly sorry about all of this. I will pay you back for all the money you spent on this wedding. I promise." Tommy said. Frank shook his head, waving his hand.

"Don't worry about it, Tommy. Just promise me that you will do your best to be successful in life. You're a good kid. Forget about what my wife says. Katherine was lucky to have you in her life and she is lucky that you did the right thing before it was too late. Thank you for that. It's all I could ask for." He stuck his hands into his suit pockets. "I should go find her and tend to Katherine. You have a good life, Tommy."

"Thank you, Mr. Hillard." Tommy said. Frank turned, heading towards the door. He stopped though, looking back in our direction.

"You know, it's just a shame that this wedding will be going to waste. I mean, all this food, the decoration, your friends and family in the same place. What a thing to waste." He winked before turning and walking out of the room.

"What a nice man." I said, smiling up at Tommy. Tommy was staring off into the distance where Frank had just been standing, a look on his face. "Tommy? You okay?"

"He's right." He said.

"Well, yeah. You saved Kat a lot of heart ache in the future."

"No." He turned to face me. "Not about that. About the wedding. It would be a waste to not use it." I looked at him confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"Let's get married." He said, smiling down at me. I felt my mouth drop open as my eyes widened.

"Tommy, you want to get married?! We haven't even been back together for two hours. You just want to get married?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yes! You are the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. We have a perfectly good wedding—that you planned—waiting for a bride and groom. Everyone is even here!" He exclaimed.

"It wouldn't be legal, though." I pointed out. "We don't have a marriage license with my name on it."

"Then we can do it again. Maybe in France with your Mom there. She'd love that! Where else are we going to get everyone we love together in one room like this?" He asked.

"This is insane." I said, shaking my head.

"Has any part of us not been insane? I love you, Kimberly. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He whispered, stepping closer to me.

"I don't have anything to wear! You want me to get married in jeans and a t-shirt."

"Your dress is here!" Trini called, reminding me that they were all standing around us. Each watched like a hawk, waiting for an answer. "You can wear that."

"I can do your hair and makeup!" Aisha added.

"David can still do the ceremony and we have everything else here. What do you say, Beautiful?" He looked down at me, hope filled eyes catching mine.

"What else can I say?" I whispered. "Yes. Yes, I will marry you."

"Really?" He asked. I nodded. Bending down, he cupped my face with his hands and kissed me quickly. Letting go, he turned to the rest of the room. "Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen. I want to thank you all for staying here during our…intermission. There has been a slight change of plans. There will be a wedding after all! If you can just give us about an hour, we will continue on with our scheduled events."

"Tommy is nuts if he thinks I can do your hair in an hour!" Aisha exclaimed, clipping a piece of my hair in the curling iron in her hand. She was moving around me as I sat on the bench in the women's locker room, resembling that of a chicken with their head cut off. Trini stood in front of me, applying a light layer of cover up to my face. "With all that hair, you would think he would know what it takes to get this done."

"His just naturally is like that, though." I said, smirking. Aisha huffed, moving on to the other side of the bench.

"Remind me to yell at him after this is all over." She added, straddling the bench behind me.

"Will do!" I chuckled. Trini moved on to the eye shadow, picking a light pink to coat my lids.

"I can't believe this is really happening." She whispered, and I heard the emotion thick in her voice.

"No crying. Not yet." I warned, thankful I couldn't see her. She sighed, moving to the other eye.

"I can't make any promises, but I will try."

"Okay. I think I'm done. It's the best I can do under such time constraints." Aisha announced, releasing all of my hair from her clutches. I felt Trini step away, allowing me to open my eyes. I looked in the long mirror in front of me and say that Aisha had given my hair a lovely array of beach curls, the wave making the blonde highlights shine around my head. She had pulled two roses from an arrangement and pinned them at the back of my head, pulling it slightly back.

"I love it! You did a great job, Aisha." I said, loving the way it looked. She beamed, smiling.

"I think I'm in the wrong business." She stated, unplugging the curling iron. "Here, Trini. I'll finish her makeup. You probably need to put on the water proof mascara. It's in my bag."

"Thank you." Trini said, letting Aisha take her seat in front of me. Quickly, Aisha painted my lips and brushed on some blush on my cheeks. Trini used a corner of the mirror to apply her own makeup, handing the mascara to Aisha as she finished. Aisha applied it to me, adding the last touch before standing up.

"I think you're good to go." She said, glancing at Trini who smiled, nodding at me. I had changed into the dress before they started my hair, Aisha worried it would mess up my hair and makeup if I had tried to get it on after. Behind us, there was a knock on the door. Aisha jumped in front of me, afraid that the person behind it might be Tommy.

"Who is it?" Trini called, walking over to it.

"Jason." His deep voice said on the other side. Trini unlocked the door and pulled it open, just wide enough for him to slip in. He stepped in, the cordless Youth Center phone in hand. "Kim, I finally got ahold of your mother." He said, holding the phone out to me.

"Oh!" I took the phone from him, bringing it to my ear. "Mom?"

"Kimberly, what on Earth is going on?" My mother's voice asked. "First, you called and told me that you were coming here and now Jason said something about Tommy."

"It's a very long story and I will tell you about it later. But, for right now, I need you to hang tight on the phone, okay?"

"Why?" She asked.

"Cause I'm getting married and this is the only way you can really be here." There was silence on the other end of the phone, my statement probably sinking in.

"You're getting married?" She asked.

"Yes."

"To Tommy?"

"Seems so." My mother let out a loud shriek, causing me to pull the phone away from my ear.

"Oh my god! This is so great! When?! How did he ask you?!"

"Well, in about ten minutes. I told you, it's a long story. I really want you to be here, but this is the best I can do with such short notice. I hope you're not mad." Around me, Trini and Aisha were doing the finishing touches to my hair and slipping my shoes on.

"Of course not, dear! I better be close enough to hear everything too. I am so happy for you, Kim."

"Thanks, Mom. I'm going to give you to Jason so that I can finish getting ready."

"Alright. I love you."

"I love you, too." I handed the phone back to Jason. "Can you send Billy back here, Jase?" I asked. He nodded.

"Sure. Let me see what trash can he's currently dying in." He winked at me before slipping out the door. A few moments later, there was another knock. Trini let Billy inside the locker room, his skin tone looking a bit better now.

"You look better." I said, smiling at him. He nodded, giving me a wide smile.

"The elixir helped a great deal. You look beautiful, Kimberly. You wanted to see me?" He asked. I nodded, standing up.

"Billy, would you walk me down the aisle?" I asked. I saw his eyes shimmer for a moment, slight tears forming in his eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"Affirmative." I replied, giving him his signature expression. He laughed, wiping his eyes.

"Affirmative, it is then. It would be my honor."

"Yup. Going to cry." Trini muttered behind me as she grabbed the box that had the bouquets in them.

"Two minutes, girls!" Json called through the door. Quickly, Trini handed Aisha her bouquet and then me the one that was supposed to be for Kat. A pang of guilt hit me as I realized I was not only marrying tommy, the man who stood her up at the altar, I was also stealing her wedding. The guilty feeling went away though as I thought of Tommy and everything we have been through in the last two weeks. The last two very long weeks.

"Ready?" Trini asked, taking her own bouquet. I nodded, feeling butterflies dance in my stomach. Billy walked over to the door and glanced out, checking the coast. Giving us a thumbs up, he let Aisha, Trini and I walk out. Aisha jogged ahead, signaling to Zach or whoever was controlling the music the drifted up the hallway. The music changed as she came back towards us, the melody slower and softer.

"That's my cue." Aisha whispered, turning to me. "You look beautiful. I'm so happy for you." She gave me a quick hug before stepping out. She walked slowly, like we had rehearsed the other day and I watched until she disappeared up the aisle.

"And this would be mine." Trini said. I gave her a tight squeeze, thankful to have my best friend here with me. She sniffled as she pulled away, giving me a watery smile as she headed out after Aisha. Billy stepped towards me, putting a supportive hand on my shoulder.

"Perhaps you are the bravest ranger on our team." He stated.

"How so?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"You're the only one brave enough to follow your heart." The music changed, switching to the bridal march. Billy held out his arm for me and I tucked my hand into his elbow. Taking a deep breath, I let him lead me out into the main room of the Youth Center where everyone stood as I entered. I was shocked to see that almost all of the chairs were filled still, even with the absence of Kat's invited guests. People smiled at me and the flash of a camera told me that the photographer had stayed as well. Billy did a great job keeping a slow pace as we rounded the corner behind the chairs. My nerves and my heart were on edge as we reached the end of the aisle.

All of that seemed to melt away though as I looked up the aisle, the white runner surrounded by white and pink rose pedals greeting me. At the end, I saw Tommy standing between his brother and Jason. There was a wide smile on his face and a tear slid down his left cheek as he looked at me, his gaze never wavering as Billy and I walked towards him. I smiled back at him, happy to see the man of my dreams waiting for me in a place I never thought I would see him. A man I never thought I would see again. One that keeps surprising me, day after day.

As we reached the end of the aisle, Billy came to a stop. I kissed him on the cheek before allowing him to stand with the rest of the boys behind Tommy. Tommy reached his hand out, helping me step up onto the alter. From the corner of me eye, I saw the youth center phone tucked into one of the logs of the archway. I knew my mother was probably pressed against it, listening as hard as she could. David smiled, glancing between Tommy and I as he looked out at the audience.

"You may be seated." He said. There was noise and moment as everyone shifted back to their seats. "Everyone, I am honored to be standing in front of you today to help created the union between Miss Kimberly Hart and my brother, Mr. Tommy Oliver. Some of you might not know this, but Tommy and I were both adopted at a young age. We found each other later on in life, something I am eternally grateful of. When I first met Tommy, he told me this story about how a girl had broken his heart. It was something he was dealing with on such an emotional level, I feared that my brother would not be able to overcome this. I realized, however, that whenever he spoke of the girl who broke his heart, it wasn't out of hatred or spite. It was out of love and hope. Hope that someday, he would be able to find her again and reunite that love that they shared between them. Ladies and gentlemen, that day had happened, and it so happens to be today." David beamed as he spoke, happiness in his features as he looked between Tommy and I. Tommy reached out and took my hands after I handed my bouquet to Trini.

"You're beautiful." He whispered, just loud enough for me to hear. I smiled up at him, stroking the top of his hands with my thumbs.

"Kimberly, I've only known you for a few days now, but I recognized something in you from the moment that we met. It takes a special person to love someone and it takes and even more special person to love someone and allow them to be happy, even if it means with someone else. I saw that you were hurting but did not selfishly try to stop something you felt you had no right to. You were willing to help Tommy be with someone else, even if it meant hurting yourself in the process. If that's not the true definition of love, I don't know what is. Plus, anyone who is willing to be with Tommy and his ways, deserves a prize." We all laughed at David's joke as Tommy looked at his brother fondly. "I've heard many stories from your friends about the love the two of you share and I see it before me today with my very eyes. It is something pure and something that is often written about in books. A love so strong that nothing can break it, not even ourselves."

"Aw." I heard my mother say on the phone, her voice filled with emotions. She sniffed, obviously crying.

"Can I have the rings?" David asked, turning to Jason. I frowned.

"We have rings?" I asked, stepping closer to Tommy.

"Not exactly." He replied. Jason handed David something who turned back to us.

"Okay. The ring. My apologizes. Tommy," He said, holding his hand out to his brother. Tommy released my left hand and held his right hand out to David. "Take this ring and repeat after me as I bless it."

"Alright." He took my hand and held it, a ring in between his thumb and pointer finger. I saw it was a thin silver band, two gem stones on top of it. One was pink and the other green. Tears filled my eyes as I realized it was the ring his grandfather had given him. The ring he had set aside for me.

"With this ring, I promise to love, honor and cherish you for the rest of my life." David said, Tommy repeating it after him. "I promise to take care of you and in turn let you take care of me. I promise to not let the bad times over rule the good times. And I promise to do this all again when we legally get married."

"You're such an ass." Tommy laughed as he repeated the words. David shrugged, grinning.

"Kimberly, since you do not have a ring, I want you to take Tommy's hands and repeat after me."

"Okay."

"Tommy, I promise to love, honor and cherish you for the rest of my life. I promise to take care of you and in turn, let you take care of me. I promise to not let the bad times over rule the good times." David said, and I repeated the words, my voice cracking as tears slipped down my face.

"Do you have anything you would like to say to one another?" David asked. Tommy nodded, gripping my hands.

"Kimberly, you are the most amazing person I have ever met. Just the sight of you makes my whole world brighter. When I lost you the first time, my world was dark. But then you walked back into my life and it's like I found a new reason to live. I feel like I have purpose now that you are here and when you told me you still loved me, it was like someone breathed new life into me. I'm not sure what I did to deserve this, but I will spend the rest of my life, trying to pay back the universe for bringing you back to me."

"Tommy, if I had known that coming back here would have landed me here, I would have run back much sooner. You are the love of my life and my feelings for you have never changed. I made a mistake before but somehow, you found a way to look passed all that to still be able to love me like you always have. I'm glad to have you back in my life and I am never going to leave you ever again."

"Good cause I'm probably not going to let you go." He replied, a light laugh coming from around the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's my honor to present to you the new but not so legal yet, Mr. and Mrs. Tommy Oliver. Tommy, you may not kiss your bride." David wasn't even finished with his sentence before Tommy pressed his lips to mine, dipping me in his arms as everyone cheered.


	37. Chapter 37

A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you have enjoyed the chapters I've posted. We are coming to an end! I cannot tell you how much fun this has been and I am already gearing up for my next fanfic! I will be posting a preview of it at the end of this one along with a bonus scene from this from Tommy's POV. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, messages and support during this. You are the best people on the planet!

As always, I own nothing and please R&R!

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Chapter Thirty-Seven

The reception that followed our wedding ceremony was perfect, everyone having a great time. Zach snag our first dance song, switching it up from what had originally been planned. Boys II Men has never sounded so good to me as it did with Tommy swaying me in his arms. It was everything I could have wanted it to be and more, my mother able to stay on the phone until after our first dance and the battery of the phone died. I told her I would call her later once everything was over and settled. Tommy and I sat at the middle of the bridal party table, waiting for the food to be served so everyone could eat. Zach brought a microphone over, handing it to Trini.

"What's that for?" She asked.

"Give a speech while we're waiting! It is the duty of the maid of honor." Zach said, winking at her.

"A speech?" Trini frantically looked at me, panic on her face. I shrugged my shoulders.

"You got this!" Jason said from behind Tommy. He gave her a wink. "You go then I'll go."

"Fine." She muttered. She rose to her feet, grabbing her champagne flute. Jason clinked his fork against the glass of his flute, the rest of the bridal party following suit. The room fell to a hushed silence, everyone turning to look at Trini. "Good evening, everyone. My name is Trini for those of you who might not know me. Kimberly has been my best friend since we were in grade school. She was this kid on the playground that wouldn't let any boys take advantage or make fun of anyone. It was one of the main reasons why we were friends. When we started high school, we formed our group of friends that still exists today. I was standing next to her when she first spotted Tommy. Some of you might not believe in love at first sight but I do because Kim fell in love with Tommy the first moment her eyes landed on him. I was her first phone call when they kissed, and I got to spend their first date with them at the dance. Of the years, I've watched them grow together, fight obstacles that most don't think they'll need to face in a relationship and defeat all odds. During the time they were apart, I would try so hard to convince her to call or write you, Tommy. But we all know how stubborn she can be. It must be a trait she learned from you because you were the same way."

"Here, here!" Jason said, nodding at Trini. The room laughed, and I smiled at Tommy who gripped my hand under the table.

"I remember when Kim first called to tell me she had decided to come home. I was ecstatic. She kept telling me she was scared and that she wasn't sure how she would face Tommy. I told her we would deal with the issue when the time came. And we did. Well, she did. Most people wouldn't be able to deal with the things she been through and yet, Kimberly does it with so much bravery and grace that no one would be able to tell just how much she's pushed through. There is no other person on this planet that I believe deserves all the happiness in the world and to be with the person who her heart belongs to." Tears welled in Trini's eyes as she smiled at me. "I am so happy to call you my best friend and I am so happy for you two." I stood up, wrapping my arms around Trini in a tight hug as tears filled my eyes as well.

"I love you." I whispered, rubbing her back. "Thank you for everything you've done for me."

"I love you, too." She said, pulling back. Reaching over, she handed the microphone to Jason who pulled himself to his feet as Trini and I sat back down. Jason unbuttoned the top button of his suit jacket as he walked around the table to stand in front of it.

"Can we give Trini a big hand for such a wonderful impromptu speech?" Jason said into the microphone, another round of applause of Trini from the guests. "Let's see. The stories I could tell you about Kim and Tommy…I don't know how much you want to know about Tommy's naked ass." The group laughed, and Tommy shook his head, rolling his eyes. "I met Kim when we were in the first grade. Someone was picking on Billy and she gave them one hell of an ass whooping for it. For the longest time, it was her, Billy, Trini, Zach and me. Then, when we were in the ninth grade, this tall, dark and handsome fellow with an odd love for the color green showed up. I was actually facing Tommy in a karate tournament and we ended up tying. Mostly because of the drool that Kimmy was leaving on the matt from drooling over Tommy while she was supposed to be supporting me." He shot me a wink over his shoulder. "The two of them fit together like a glove. It was something we didn't even question when they announced they were dating. When Trini, Zach and I ended up heading to the peace conferences, I had no doubt in my mind that someday, we would be standing at their wedding. And well…it might have taken longer than I had first imagined but we're here!"

"Tell me why I didn't make Billy my best man." Tommy whispered in my ear.

"Because no one but Trini can understand him." I whispered back.

"True."

"When Kim moved back here, I knew that something would happen. It usually does when it comes to these two being in the same room. I am happy that it's this outcome, which reminds me that Rocky and Zach owe me $20. We had a going bet on how long it would take for the two of you to come to your god damn senses. Something, I am so glad you finally did. I've learned a lot from the two of you. A lot about love and second chances. About telling those you love that you love them, even if it seems like the timing isn't right. I guess that's why I am going to ask Trini to come around the table for me." Jason turned, smiling at Trini who looked at him with a confused look.

"Why?" She whispered. I nudged her arm.

"Go find out!" I said. She stood, slowly walking around the table. Reaching out his hand, Jason took Trini's in his.

"Trini, you've been nothing but my rock. My stern and sometimes naggy rock but my rock. You've always been there for me, even when we were kids. And when I told you I loved you, you amazed me beyond belief by telling me you loved me too. I love your intelligence, your beauty and your grace. The way you can kick ass without asking questions and also remind me to keep my anger in check when I want to take on the world. You mean the world to me and there's no one else on Earth I could picture myself with. Which, in all reality, makes this next part a piece of cake for me." Letting go of her hand, Jason reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring box he had shown Zach and me. I covered my mouth as he sank to one knee. Trini's eyes widened, and she let out an audible gasp as she looked down at him. He carefully opened the ring box and held it up. "Trini Kwan, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" She exclaimed, nodding. Our friends and family members cheered as he slipped the ring on her finger and stood to engulf her in a hug. I clapped loudly, happiness making my chest feel full. Jason kissed Trini on the lips, letting her go.

"Unlike our friends here, we will not be getting married today. But thank you, Kimberly and Tommy, for showing us just what it means to follow your heart. Love you guys and best wishes for the future." The sound of glasses clinking filled the room as everyone toasted for us. Leaning over, I gave Tommy and lingering kiss on the lips.

"Thank you." He whispered, giving me a small smile.

"For what?" I asked.

"For coming back to me."

After the reception, everyone went their separate ways. Trini and Jason went home to spend the night together, more than likely celebrating their engagement in ways I was glad to not be there for. Aisha and Rocky offered to let Billy stay with him, but he opted to spend the night with his father. He would be returning to Aquitar the next day and wished to spend time with him before he left. Tommy and I headed back to his apartment where we spent the night together, making up for old times all night long.

The next morning, Tommy and I drove to Billy's father's house. It was a small modular home on the north side of town, a beige colored home with dark brown shutters on the outside. Mr. Cranston was standing on the porch with Billy as we pulled up and he waved as Billy made his way down the steps towards Tommy's truck. Billy gave him one last wave before climbing into the back of the vehicle. "Good morning." He said, sounding cheerful surprisingly.

"Morning, Billy. Is your dad going to be okay?" I asked, turning in my seat to face him. Billy nodded, pulling his seat belt on as Tommy started driving towards the coast.

"Affirmative. He's aware that I will be returning for Christmas." He replied.

"That's great!" Tommy exclaimed, smiling in the rearview mirror at our friend in the back seat. "We will have to work out the details for when you are planning on coming."

"I will communicate with you once I have the plans in motion." Tommy pulled into the beach parking lot and together, we walked down the familiar path Billy and I had taken before during our talk that fateful day at the beach. We walked farther than we did that day until we came up on a piece of secluded beach. I followed behind Tommy and Billy as they walked down the small embankment that led to the sand. Both men stopped a few feet from the water, staring out at the open sea.

"Well, I must say that this has been everything shy of a wonderous adventure." Billy said, turning towards Tommy and me. He stuck out his hand, Tommy grasping it and pulling him in for a hug.

"Thank you for everything, Billy. I'm going to miss you. Take care of yourself, okay? And don't be a stranger over the communicators." Tommy replied, letting Billy go.

"I will try my best." Billy shifted his attention to me and I couldn't help the tears that were building behind my eyes.

"I wish you didn't have to leave." I said, trying to hold them in. "It feels like I just got you back here, Billy."

"Likewise." He grinned, pulling me into a hug. I buried my face into his chest, not wanting to let him go. He pulled away slightly, adjusting his glasses. "Thank you for continuing to be the trusted friend I need. I am genuinely happy for you both and the happiness you've found together again. I am also grateful for the amount of support you've provided me during my time here. I appreciate all that you've done for me in the present and in the past."

"You too." I said, taking a step back. "What happens now back at home?"

"I've spoken to my wife. I've confessed to her everything I have been hiding from her. She stated she would like to work on things and perhaps try seeking professional help. I am hopeful that things will work out between us. The possibility seems positive from this angle, I suppose." He smiled. Behind him, I noticed a blue light beginning to form out of thin air, hovering a couple feet above the surface of the water.

"The portal is open, Billy." Tommy said, nodding at the weird ball. Billy glanced over his shoulder and sighed.

"So, it is." He gave us each another hug, grabbing his bag from Tommy's hand. "Best of luck, both of you. I will contact you shortly in regard to my next visit."

"Sure thing." Tommy said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. Billy waved as he walked down the sand, heading closer to the light. Before he was about to hit the water, he disappeared into the light. It suddenly zipped off, vanishing into thin air. I stared at the place it was, a ting of sadness coming over me. "Hey." Tommy whispered, rubbing my arm. "At least now he can visit whenever he wishes, and we can have open contact with him. That's good."

"It is." I replied, smiling up at him.

"C'mon. Let's head back to the apartment so I can finish packing."

"Alright."

Back at Tommy's apartment, he started to pack his suitcase. Since I had an unused ticket to Paris and he had an unused ticket to London, we had agreed to exchange them for new tickets to France. We would be spending a week with my mother and then another week explore the rest of the country. It sounded like the perfect honeymoon and while we were there, we would get married somewhere my mother could see it with her own two eyes. She was thrilled with the idea when I told her this morning and she said she would look into places we could get it down. I was excited to see her but more excited at the idea of spending two weeks with the man I can sorta call my husband.

"So, when are you going to move your stuff in?" Tommy asked, shoving some socks into his suitcase.

"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Your stuff. You can't live here if you don't move in, silly." He said, smiling. I grinned back, sitting on the couch.

"I guess we can worry about that when we get back. Unless you trust the guys to move it in while we're gone."

"It can wait." He said, raising his eyebrows. I giggled, glancing at all the boxes. The ones that were labelled Kat were pushed into one side of the living room. Tommy had done this last night when we returned. Tanya had told Aisha that her and Kat would be over to get them tomorrow, once we were gone for our honeymoon. It was probably better this way. I hoped she wasn't too upset. I knew it was silly of me to think she wouldn't be, but I really felt that she would be able to get through this.

"That's what I thought. We could unpack your stuff though. You don't have that much and it's not going anywhere."

"I know. I thought my uncle was going to cry when I told him I wasn't going to do the international circuit. At least I still have time to join the one here in the states." Tommy zipped up his suitcase, setting it next to mine by the front door. Our plane was due to leave tonight, the cab coming to get us in about an hour. Jase and Trini had agreed to watch over Tommy's apartment while we were gone.

"He means well though." I added. He nodded.

"I know. I'm going to grab a quick shower before we climb on a plane for fifteen hours. Want to join me?" He asked, a devilish grin on his lips.

"No way, mister. We need to be ready for the cab when it gets here. You'll spend the whole time doing everything but getting clean. I'll get a shower when we land."

"Fine." He pouted. Giving me a quick kiss, he walked up the hallway towards the bathroom. I heard the door shut and the water turn on a few moments later. Standing up, I walked over to the top box in Tommy's pile and opened it. It was filled the with trinkets and pictures we had taken down the other day. I pulled out the pictures, walking over and hanging them in their rightful place. This is where they belonged and where they would stay.

Behind me, I heard a noise from the door and it suddenly swung open. I stepped back, surprised to see someone walk in. I was even more surprised to see it was Katherine. I could tell she felt the same way, her eyes widening when they landed on me. Her hair was pulled back in a bun on the back of her head and she wore a black t0shirt and blue jeans. We both stood there for a moment, not saying anything as we looked at each other. What could I say? 'Sorry I stole your man and your wedding. My bad?' It really didn't sound all the sincere when you put it like that.

"Sorry." She said, breaking the silence. "I didn't think anyone was home since the door was locked. I just needed to grab a few things before my flight."

"It's okay." I said. She closed the door behind her, her keys dangling in her hand. "Kat, I am very sorry about what happened. I didn't mean for you to get hurt. Honestly. I didn't set out to break you two up." I said. She nodded, not looking up from her hands.

"I know. Aisha told Tanya everything. I guess out of anyone, I'm the one that owes you the apology."

"Me?" I asked, surprised. "For what?" Sighing, she looked up at me.

"Because I wanted to break you and Tommy up when we were kids." She whispered. "I was the one who told Aisha and Tanya that I thought Tommy liked me. I knew if I did that, Aisha would tell you. I thought maybe if you thought something was going on between us, you would break up with him. And, it worked. I just didn't think it would cause so much trouble in everyone's lives like it did. I was selfish and wanted Tommy for myself. I shouldn't have done that, and I am so sorry."

"It's not your fault, Kat." I replied, motioning to the couch. We both moved to sit down, facing one another. "There was something between Tommy and I that wasn't able to survive the distance. It was something that hurt us long before you tried to. It just added to the flames, that's all. I don't hate you for that. You were just acting on your feelings. I know all about that. I don't blame you for hating me."

"I gotta admit that I did for a while yesterday. I was so angry that Tommy would just leave me for you. But the more I sat and thought about, the more I got to understanding why he did it. Tommy is special to me and I know he tries really hard, but we don't have the connection like you two. There's no love between us outside of friendship, something he tried like hell to fix. You can't make what isn't there though. I even noticed that my feelings for Tommy haven't been as intense as they were when we were younger. They seemed to fade after my time in London."

"After the affair?" I asked. She snorted, nodding.

"Figures you would know. But, yes. It felt natural when it was happening but when I came back, I felt guilty what I had done to Tommy. I didn't want to hurt him, so I told him I wanted to be with him. The truth is though that I never stopped caring about Alex. I fell in love with him and he's all I could think about. It was unfair for me to agree to marry Tommy when I can't get another man off my mind. I never should have asked Tommy to do this."

"You were just trying to save something you thought it was still there. That's perfectly normal and that's what Tommy was doing too. I think the two of you are always going to be connected besides the fact of what happened yesterday. I hope you can find it in you somewhere to forgive Tommy someday." Sighing, she gave me a sad smile.

"I'm not mad at Tommy. Well, anymore. I understand why he did the things that he did. And like my father told me, Tommy saved me from a life where we might have ended up miserable later on down the road. I wish I hadn't done the things I've done to him but at least I know how he felt."

"So, what now?"

"Well, I'm heading to London as planned. Tanya is going to come with me for a bit to help me get settled in. I'm going to work on getting used to being there fulltime and then, I'm not sure. I've got a lot of work cut out ahead of me to be a part of this company and I think the time to work on myself as well."

"What about Alex?" I asked. She grinned, standing.

"I called him last night. We have plans for coffee tomorrow night once I'm back in town." Up the hallway, I heard the bathroom door open and Tommy emerged from the hall a moment later. His hair was dripping wet and he only wore a pair of jeans, his bare chest exposed as he pulled a white t-shirt over his head. As his eyes poked through, he froze when he saw Kat standing next to me in the middle of the living room. Pulling down the shirt, he glanced between us.

"Katherine." He said softly. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, Tommy. I just came to get my things I'll need for my flight." She replied, giving him a small smile.

"Oh. You are still going to London in the morning?" He asked. She nodded.

"Plane leaves first thing. You guys are leaving for Paris tonight, right?" Kat asked. I nodded, tucking my hands into my back pockets. "I hope you have a safe flight. Paris is beautiful. I'm sure your mother is happy you're coming."

"She is. You have a safe flight too, Kat. And take care of yourself." I said. She nodded, moving to head towards her stack of boxes. Stopping, she looked over her shoulder at Tommy.

"Thank you." She said softly. "You're a good man, Tommy Oliver. You've made me realize how lucky I've been these past two years. I hope you two have a wonderful life together. Don't be afraid to look me up sometime in London."

"Sure thing, Kat." He replied, looking astounded by her comment. She opened a box and found a few things. Scooping them up in her arm, she headed towards the door. With one last smile, she left.


	38. Epilogue

Chapter Thirty-Eight – Epilogue

"Ladies, we've got 10 minutes! Better move it along!" Zach called, rapping on the door. Aisha let out a haggard breath, glaring at it. She shoved the hooped earrings she was holding in her hand into her holes.

"I told you we should have stayed in a different hotel as those damn fools." She said, rolling her eyes. I smirked at her reflection in the large mirror in front of us. Trini sat beside me, her also sharing a smirk with me as she finished applying lipstick to her lips.

"They would have followed there anyway." I said, standing up from the bench. Adjusting my green lace dress, I gave myself one last glance in the mirror. It hung at my shoulders with thick straps and flowed down to my knees. Matching flats completed my look and I felt satisfied with it. I mean, it would have to do for now.

"I know. I really hope we don't hit traffic." Aisha groaned. She grabbed the white shawl she had off the bed behind us and pulled it over her shoulders. The light red dress she had on fit like a glove, showing off her curves in all the right places. The satin material hugged her hips and stopped a little above her knee. Red stilettos adorned her feet and I suddenly felt like a nobody in comparison to her.

"Girl, we're gonna be fine." A voice said as Tanya emerged from the bathroom. She had changed from her silk robe to a silk black dress that ran all the way to the floor. Sitting on the bed, she grabbed a pair of black heels from the floor and pulled them on. "Besides, we've got VIP status tonight. I'm sure traffic won't be an issue."

"This is exciting!" Aisha exclaimed, smiling at her cousin. "This is our first time out of the country. Well…if you don't count different planets and dimensions."

"Of course not." I replied, the four of us giggling. Trini slid off of the bench, her long red dress billowing to the floor as she did. Her dress was also lace and hung off her body like it was made just for her. She had a gold shawl around her shoulders and a matching gold clip on the back of her head. I smirked to myself, finding it funny we had all decided to wear the color of our dates. It wasn't something we had told them prior to this event and I was sure they were going to be quite surprised when they saw us.

"I suppose we should get going before they send a search party out for us." Trini said, grabbing her purse from the bed. Gathering the rest of our things, we headed out the door of our hotel room and into the hallway. Together, we walked up the long walkway that was decorated with dark browns and a lovely shade of burgundy on the walls. When we reached the end of the hallway, there was an elevator. Tanya pressed the button and the silver doors opened. Stepping in, we travelled down the four stories to the lobby of the hotel.

The doors opened and the four of us emerged. I could hear the boys before we saw them, the six of them standing in the middle of the lobby. Rocky and Jason were talking, showing each other different moves the best they could in their tuxedos. Billy, who had come in specially from Aquitar, was speaking to Zack and Adam about something that seemed to confuse the two former black rangers as they both had lost expressions on their faces. Of to the left, standing by himself, stood Tommy. He was lost in thought, leaning against the doorway next to the group. I smiled when I saw him, his long hair combed back into a pony tail on his head. Zach was the first to see us, letting out a whistle as we approached. Rocky, Jason and Adam's mouths gaped open as they saw Aisha, Trini, and Tanya. Jason beelined it for Trini, taking her hand and giving her a little spin that made her giggle.

"I gotta say, Mrs. Scott. You sure do make that dress look good." He said, kissing her.

"Thank you." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck. Rocky also made his way to Aisha, looking her up and down like he was ready to pounce.

"Red? I like it." I heard him saw. Aisha shrugged but a smile spread across her lips and she gave him a hug. Behind them, I watched as Adam sheepishly approached Tanya. The two had started dating not too long ago and the shyness between them was still apparent as he stopped in front of her.

"Hi." He said, meekly.

"Hi, Adam." She replied, looking up at the taller man.

"You look very pretty."

"Thank you. You don't look to bad yourself." A blush crossed Adam's cheeks as he smiled. Holding out his arm, she grabbed on to it and he led her over to the group.

"Why, Mrs. Oliver. I do believe you are wearing my color." A voice said in my ear, a broad smile crossing my face as I turned to the source. My husband stood there, his black tux and green vest looking sharp on his broad shoulders and lean body.

"Am I?" I asked, innocently. "I didn't notice."

"Oh. I'm sure you didn't." He whispered, leaning in to kiss me. Running his hand down my arm, he took my hand in his as he pulled away. "You ready to go?"

"I think so." I replied. He pulled me towards the group that was heading out the front door of the hotel. A long stretch limo was waiting out front, the black color of it reflecting the bright lights off the front of the hotel.

"IS this for us?" Aisha asked, looking surprised. Billy nodded.

"Affirmative! The driver has been waiting for us." Reaching over, he opened the door and the boys let us climb in first. It was very nice inside, royal blue velvet seats with up lighting running throughout it. Champagne buckets were on both sides of the car and glasses were aligned in holders above the seats. Tommy slid into the seat next to mine and looked around.

"Wow. This is nice." He said, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. Rocky hopped in last, shutting the door. He made quick work at opening the champagne bottle and pouring some into the glasses. He handed them out to everyone as we pulled away from the hotel.

"What times does the show start?" Zach asked, sipping from his glass. Jason glanced at his watch.

"In half an hour. We'll have just enough time to get in and get our seats."

"London is so beautiful." Trini murmured, looking out the window at the sites we passed. I leaned back into Tommy, linking our fingers together. He kissed the top of my head, causing me to sigh happily. We drove for a few minutes before the limo came to a stop outside of an old looking theater. People were lined up outside and around the corner, waiting to get inside. Bright lights lit up the front of the building and a poster for La Bayadere was hung on either side of the marquee. The name was also written there, the name of the ballet company underneath it. The limo parked in front of the theater and people waiting in line craned their necks to see who was climbing out of it.

"It's like a red-carpet premiere!" Tanya gasped. The door opened, and Rocky slid out. Holding his hand out, he helped Aisha climb out. Billy and Zach followed them, Tanya and Adam next. Jason and Trini scooted out after and then Tommy slid out and helped me climb out. Our group walked up the side walk towards the front doors where doormen dressed in tuxedos held open the glass doors. We were led inside where we found ourselves in the lobby of the most amazingly designed theater I had ever seen. It was very old, the ceiling high above us with designs carved into the wood on the walls. Murals were painted on the walls and the ceiling, depicting scenes from different pieces of art. It was astonishingly beautiful in here and reminded me of the things Tommy and I had seen on our honeymoon to France last year.

"This way, folks!" A man with an English accent called to our group. We followed him through a set of doors and into the main theater where more eye-popping art was found. There was a large stage in the front of the room, private boxes with people lining the walls. The center of the room was filled with red velvet chairs with gold trims. The man led us down towards the front and motioned for us to sit in a roped off section. We filed in, Tommy letting me slip by behind Trini. Taking our seats, we all looked around in awe at the sight of the grand theater.

"This is remarkable." Trini said, gripping my hand. I nodded.

"I know! Kat wasn't lying. And she gave us such great seats." I replied.

It's amazing what a year can bring. After Tommy and I were "married" that fateful day, we headed to Paris to see my mother. Paris was just as beautiful as my mother had described it each time we spoke on the phone. Tommy and I spent six days with my mother, getting married on the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower with just her and a justice of the peace. It was simple, sweet and perfect for the two of us. This time, I had a ring to give him and we officially became husband and wife as he kissed my deeply high in the sky. I bid a tear-filled good-bye to my mother who promised to visit sometimes towards the end of the year.

From Paris, we went to Versailles then on to the French Riviera where we spent five days completely absorbed in each other. It felt amazing having nothing to worry about except each other, our times on the sandy beaches and crystal-clear water leaving me feel more relaxed and loved as I had been my entire life. We spent every moment together between site seeing, lounge on the sand or rolling round the sheets in our hotel room. It went perfectly and way too quickly for my likely. Soon, we found ourselves back on a plane for the United States where Jason picked us up at the airport.

Back home, I moved all of my belongings into Tommy's apartment. I was able to sell my furniture and keep only the things Tommy didn't have already. It felt like home with our stuff mixed together, even though Tommy kept saying we could get a bigger place. I didn't want one though. This worked well for me. Anywhere he was worked well for me, something he agreed with me. His uncle told him we could stay as long as we wanted, and Tommy returned back to work, racing for him on the nearby circuit.

As for me, I continued to work for Jason and Rocky at the dojo. I kept their office neat and took care of the paper trails they had. Jason offered me the manager position at the youth center which I accepted. The Youth center opened after the wedding and was already a booming place. Kinds from all over town were coming here to have a place to hang out and enjoy Ernie's old smoothie recipes that his family had given to Jason. It was amazing to see it restored to its former glory and it made me smile to know that Ernie would be proud of it. I even started teaching gymnastics lessons once a week, my classes growing with each passing week.

About six months after returning from our honeymoon, Jason and Rocky offered Tommy the chance to become a third partner for the dojo. With my blessing, he accepted and stopped being a part of the racing scene. Tommy loved being a part of the dojo. It was something he had always wanted to do and something he was extremely passionate for. He gets along with his students so well and he tells me all the time that he has finally found his calling. It was a blessing in disguise that he joined the dojo as his uncle unfortunately suffered a heart attack about a month later. He lost everything, making us have to move from the apartment building. Tommy and I decided to buy a house, not too far from Jason and Trini's home. We've been there for a few months now and it's amazing to have something to call home.

As for Jason and Trini, the two of them married about six months ago in a lovely ceremony. Like us, they had their wedding at the Youth Center and it was a lovely day. Fortunately for them, it wasn't planned in just two weeks and there was no stress to be found like there had been for the last wedding held there. It was the perfect day, and everyone had come back for it, even Kat and Billy.

Billy was able to work things out with his wife. When he came from the wedding, he brought her with him, letting us all meet her. She is a wonderful person and very much like Billy. I can see why they get along so well. Since then, he announced to us that they were expecting their first child, a little boy, due in the fall. I am so excited to see a little version of Billy and to see him become a father. It's something he will be great at and I do not doubt that his son will be just as smart as him. Billy also presented us all with communicators. It was only because of the fit Jason and Rocky threw when they found out that him, Tommy and I had them. He was able to find enough of them to supply us all with them. I had to admit it was nice having them again. We were all able to stay in touch now, not having to worry about the distance.

Katherine moved to London as planned and did very well in the ballet company. To our surprise, she presented us with VIP tickets to the opening night of her show when she came for the wedding. I am very grateful that there is no bad blood between her, Tommy or myself. I knew how different it could have turned out and how to any other person, it would seem odd that it worked out the way it did. Katherine told me that after her time in London, she was able to see that love happens to people when they least expect it. Her and Alex, the man she had an affair with, having been dating for a while now and she says she couldn't be any happier. I am glad she found someone that makes her happy.

Adam and Tanya started dating a month or so before Jason and Trini's wedding. It had taken some convincing on all our parts to get him to ask her out after she came back from London. He finally did, and things seem to be going well for the two. It was cute seeing the two of them together. Adam will always be the shy kid I remembered in high school. Him and his band were finally able to land a small record deal and they are working on their first studio album that is due to be released by the end of the year.

Zach landed a role on a soap opera this past winter where he has become a regular. It's odd to see him go through the daily struggles and dramas in a soap opera but he likes to tell me he learned it from Tommy and me. He actually found love as well, reuniting with his high school girlfriend, Angela. The two of them are working on a long-distance relationship as she is finishing up her political science degree in Washington D.C. He's not sure what happens after that, but I know Zach will figure it out. He always does.

Rocky and Aisha finally moved into their new house and he proposed to her this past Christmas. It was sweet, romantic and very unlike Rocky. The two are expected to tie the knot this fall. It's another wedding we are all gearing up for. Aisha has opened up her own business as a real estate agent and Rocky is still teaching classes at the dojo. He also helps me out at the Youth Center when I need it and Jason is busy.

My friends are my rocks. Looking back over the course of the last year, it's crazy to think where I would be without them. If Trini and Jase hadn't convinced me and helped me come back to Angel Grove, there's no telling where I would be. Probably still struggling to get by every day in Florida. I am so grateful for all of them and for the love and support they give me on a daily basis. It's not always rainbows and butterflies, but we still manage to get through each day with a smile on our faces. I never would have imagined myself sitting here in London, with my husband and all of our friends a year ago. I know they say all things happen for a reason but I'm not sure what I did to deserve this kind of life. I'll forever be thankful for it though.

"How's my girl doing?" Tommy whispered in my ear, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"Fine." I replied, smiling at him.

"And my other girl?" He asked, placing his hand on my belly. I laughed, nodding my head.

"She's fine too. How many times do you think I'm going to have to pee during this?" I said. He let out a laugh, rubbing my five-month pregnant belly. Tommy and I found out I was pregnant around the time we had to move out of the apartment. I am not going to lie; I'm scared. Not in a bad way but an excited way. I can't wait to have a family with him and I know Tommy is going to make a wonderful father. He nearly fainted when I told him, but he's came around to the idea quickly. I'm due around Christmas time, the perfect present.

"I love you." Tommy whispered, leaning in to kiss me.

"I love you, too." I replied.

A year ago, Tommy was getting married. I tried to give him everything he could have wanted in a wedding even though I was dying inside. Well, I was able to give him exactly what he asked for.

He wanted to marry me.


	39. Bonus Chapter!

BONUS CHAPTER!

Never in my life had I seen the Youth center so busy. Between my groomsmen running around, trying their best to get dressed and help the caterers get ready, it felt like I was standing in the middle of a production line rather than a place where we used to buy smoothies. Adam and Rocky were fixing some of the streamers that had fallen over night, Jason was getting everything ready in the kitchen, Billy was dying at the bar and Zach was working on the music. I had offered my help, but Jason told me it was my job to relax before it was showtime. It wasn't the answer I was hoping to hear. I needed to do something to keep my mind off of what had happened last night.

Kimberly sure knew how to confuse a guy. I had to admit it wasn't completely shocking to hear her admit she still loved me. It was something that a small part of me was hoping was true from the moment I saw her again. It still floored me though, hearing her say those words to me. I'm not sure what came over me though when I kissed her. It was so unlike me to do that. It felt right though. Like it was what I was supposed to do, and she sure didn't stop me. But my rational thinking came back to me and I ran. I can still hear her crying as I had walked away. Closing my eyes, I tried to push it out of my mind. I had hurt her. I knew I did.

But what does my stupid ass do? I make things worse. When she came back to Jason's house, she just looked so lost and empty. When she looked at me, something inside of me cracked. I felt like I was watching something I have been missing reappear in front of me. When the other guys started drifting off, I laid there on the couch trying to my best to forget about her and the kiss. I had to give her credit for coming back. I'm not sure I would have wanted to face me and still commit to coming to the wedding. All of the memories between us that happened over the last two weeks came to mind and then I thought about our time together when we were kids. It was too much for me to try and sleep. I figured if I talked to her, maybe we could come to some sort of agreement that it wasn't meant to happen. That we were just trying to grasp at the past because of all the time we were together while planning the wedding.

That all went out the window when I saw her. When her big doe eyes gave me a teary-eyed look, it was all it took. Being with Kim had always been something that felt natural to me. The way her skin felt against mine, the smell of her hair. Just the very act of being around her is enough to send me into a tizzy. It had been so long since we had made love, but it felt like it was second nature. Her lips on my lips, her hands on my skin. I missed her. I missed being with her. It was something I realized as we laid thereafter.

It was also what scared me the most. I had done something I had sworn I never would do. I had betrayed Kat's trust and cheated on her. The guilt I felt was a nasty pang and I hated it. I knew it wasn't right to do that and I knew I had to keep the promise I made to Kat. Her family had given so much for this wedding to happen and I had given Kat my word that I would be her husband. It was something I couldn't turn my back on. So, I left Kim a letter telling her. I now knew what it felt like to write a letter like that. I was still trying not to picture her reaction when she found it. I'm sure it'll still be obvious when I see her during the ceremony.

God, I was such a fuck up.

"How's it look, Tommy?" Rocky called, breaking me from my thoughts. He was standing on a ladder, holding up the fabric we had hung before that had fallen. Jason had left a while ago, having to head home to get some things we had forgotten like Rocky's cufflinks, Billy's belt and Adam's tie. We were quite the mess.

"Looks good." I called back. He nodded, stapling it quickly before climbing down the ladder. Zach walked over to us, pulling his suit jacket on.

"Guys, I think they gave me the wrong jacket." He said, the sleeves of his hanging a good inch or two passed his hands.

"Yeah. I think they switched ours." Rocky stated as he pulled his coat on. His was too short, the jacket only coming to his forearms.

"Here." Zach slid his off as Rocky struggled to pull his off. The two exchanged jackets while Adam helped Billy from the bar. Billy moaned, slowly walking over to stand with us. Guests were beginning to arrive, people I sorta knew from Kat filling in from the back door of the Youth Center. I did my best to smile at them, but they mostly left me unnoticed.

"You going to live, Billy?" Rocky asked, smirking at him.

"I'm uncertain." Billy mumbled. "Hopefully after I consume the elixir, I will feel better. I'm unable to take it until after the ceremony however."

"Hang in there. I'm sure everything will be fine." Adam said, lending a supportive smile. From the front of the Youth Center, Sandra and Frank entered the room. My soon to be mother-in-law gave the room another disgusted look that she was famous for before walking towards me. Mentally, I groaned but still put a smile on my face.

"Hi, Sandra. You look beautiful." I said. She didn't even smile, ignoring the fact I had complimented the plum colored dress she was wearing.

"We're missing a bridesmaid and the ceremony is going to start in ten minutes!" She spat, crossing her arms in front of her. I looked at her confused.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Kimberly! She's not here. The girls have been trying to reach her, but she hasn't been answering their calls. Where is she, Tommy? Out of all people, you should know."

"I'm sure she's on her way. I think she said she had to do some last-minute stuff for the wedding. She'll be here." I replied, giving her a reassuring smile. "Kim wouldn't flake like this. I promise. She'll be here."

"I sure hope so. Kat is a wreck back there thinking she isn't going to show. I will tell her that you swear she's coming." Turning on her heel, Sandra walked away. Frank rolled his eyes, following after his wife.

"Hello, dear." My mother's voice said to my left. Turning, I saw her standing there with David and Sam Trueheart. I smiled, feeling the first moment of relief I've had since I got here this morning.

"Hi, mom." I said, hugging her. I shook Sam's hand and gave David a quick hug as well.

"You look so handsome." Mom said, patting my cheek. She wore her normal wedding attire; a light blue dress and a simple white sweater over it. My mother never changes, something I love about her.

"Thanks. You look lovely. Thank you guys for being here." I said, smiling at the three of them. They were the only family I had and truly, the only people I had wanted here besides our friends. I had seen all of their parents arrive, Aisha's grandmother coming in with Rocky's mother. It was nice seeing them all here, but it felt great knowing that the three people I had in this world in my corner were here.

Where was Kimberly?

"Hey, Tommy?" Jason called behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw him standing with the rest of the guys. I also noticed that Trini was standing with them as well. There was a serious expression on all of their faces.

"Excuse me for minute, okay?" I said to my mother.

"Is everything alright?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yeah! Just some last-minute stuff." Heading over to the group, I glanced at all of them. "What's up? Did Kim finally show up?"

"No." Trini said softly.

"Do we know where she is? The ceremony starts in five minutes." I replied, worry beginning to sink in.

"She's not coming, Tommy." Jason said, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"What?" I whispered, unsure I had heard him right. "She said she would be here. She promised me."

"When I went back to get our stuff, I found some letters she wrote us. I don't know what happened but she's not coming." He explained. I shook my head. "I'm really sorry, man."

"That can't be right. What did she say in your letters?" I asked, looking around the group. They exchanged glances with each other, telling me that no one wanted to tell me the truth.

"She's going to Paris." Trini finally said. "Her mother sent her a ticket and she's heading there now."

"She just left the country?" I asked, feeling something thicken in my throat. "Without saying good-bye?"

"She left you a letter too." Jason said, handing me a folded piece of paper. Taking it, I couldn't bring myself to open it. It would just show me just how much I had hurt her from leaving her.

"I have to get back there. The ceremony is about to start." Trini said. She gave Jason a quick kiss before turning to me. "I'm sorry, Tommy. You still need to go through with this though."

"I know." I replied, nodding. She patted my arm in a supportive way and headed back to the locker room where the girls were getting ready. Adam, Billy, Rocky and Zach headed over to the alter where they would be standing for the ceremony.

"You don't have to read that right now." Jason said. "It can wait."

"I already know what it's going to say." I whispered. Looking up, I shook my head. "I fucked up big time, man."

"What do you mean?" He asked, stepping closer.

"Last night, Kim and I…" I trailed off, not being able to bring myself to say the words out loud.

"Holy shit, dude." He muttered. "So, you told her the truth then? About how you feel."

"No. I left her a note afterwards telling her I was still marrying Katherine." He scoffed, shaking his head.

"I swear, the two of you are so thick headed, you are made to be. Tommy, if you are in love with Kimberly, you cannot go through with this wedding. I know you think you owe it to Kat, but you owe yourself more."

"It's too late now. Kim's gone. She's probably half way over the Atlantic by now."

"No. She's probably waiting to board a plane. There's no way it's taken off yet. She didn't leave til this morning."

"Jase, I-." I started but was interrupted by the music playing behind me. Looking at the clock, I saw it was noon on the dot. Everyone started taking their seats and David stepped up to the alter.

"Tommy, it's not too late." Jason repeated. I shook my head.

"Yes it is." Frowning, I folded my arms in front of me and walked over to my place by David. Jason sighed, following me. From the front row, my mother smiled at me brightly. Sam sat next to her, a disposable camera in hand. From the back of the room, Sandra appeared and made her way up the aisle to her seat opposite of my mother.

Zach changed the music to a slow song and soon, Trini appeared at the end of the aisle. Her canary yellow dress looked nice on her and her hair had been slightly curled. She gave me a sympathetic smile when she saw me before heading to her place on Kat's side. Aisha followed her, her dress the same as Trini's. She smiled brightly, slowly walking towards us. Tanya appeared as Aisha took her place and did the same walk as her cousin. Once she was in place, the music shifted to the song Kat had selected to walk down the aisle. Everyone stood as the top of Frank's head bobbed between those sitting in the back row. He rounded the first half of the audience and him and Kat stopped at the end of the aisle.

Her dress was white and puffy, flowing behind her as she walked up the aisle towards me. Her blonde hair was curled around her head and a veil was tucked in there, the fabric going down her back. Her arm was tucked into Frank's arm and she beamed when she looked at me. She looked beautiful, truly. She would make a beautiful bride for anyone who was lucky to have her. But, I realized as her and Frank came to a stop at the altar, she wasn't the bride for me.

"Kat." I whispered, leaning forward. "I need to talk to you." She looked at me, confused, still trying to smile brightly for everyone watching.

"Little busy right now, Tommy. We can talk after the ceremony." She said, letting go of her father's arm. She switched hands she was holding her flowers in and gave me an expectant look.

"I can't do this." I said. "I can't marry you."

"What do you mean you can't marry me?" She exclaimed, loud enough for everyone to hear her. I winced as I heard some gasps and a soft murmur fill the room.

"I'm very sorry. Truly, I am. I just can't go through with this when I know that you are not the person I'm in love with." I said, realizing how much of an asshole I was probably sounding to everyone around me.

"You're talking nonsense right now. You're just getting cold feet." Kat said, trying to reassure me. "Once we're married, you'll feel better about it."

"No, I won't. I'm in love with Kimberly and I can't marry you." I replied.

"Uh oh." I heard Aisha say next to Trini.

"You're dumping me at the alter for your ex-girlfriend?" Kat asked, tears filling her eyes. God, I am the worst person on the planet. I gave a nod, wishing the ground would eat me up.

"I am very sorry, Katherine. I didn't mean for this to happen, but I couldn't let you marry someone who didn't love you the way you deserve. You deserve someone a lot better than me and I can't be that person."

"Screw you, Tommy." She said, shooting me a glare. Grabbing the back of her dress, she stormed back up the aisle. Tanya and Sandra ran after her, Frank bringing up the rear. I turned to Jason.

"Can I borrow your truck?" I asked. Mine was back at his house.

"Are you kidding? I'm driving." He replied.


	40. Head Above Water - Sneak Peak!

A/N: Hello everyone! I had the absolute GREATEST time ever at the Rhode Island Comic Con where I was able to meet Jason David Frank again. Always a great guy and I highly recommend it. While there, the inspiration to my new story came and here is a sneak preview of Head Above Water!

* * *

The coldness of the stone floor under me seemed to seep into my skin, pain radiating up my legs from the bitterness. I kept shuffling forward, not wanting to stop. All around me, it felt like someone was watching me from the shadows. I couldn't see much ahead of me or behind me. All I knew was that I didn't want to go back to that cell. I kept my hands up in front of my face, ready to fight if need be. I didn't care what I would need to do to get the hell out of where ever I was. There was no way I was going to go down without a fight.

My foot connected to something that was different than stone and I stopped. It was wet, whatever it was. Bending low, I touched my fingers to it. In the very low light, I could make out a dark color on my fingertips. Bringing it to my nose, I could smell the copper of blood. Jumping back to my standing position, I picked up my pace. I didn't know whose blood that was, and I didn't want to be the one adding to it.

The soft glow of light came from around a corner and I could make out an archway ahead of me. Maybe it was the outdoors. If I could get outside, I could get the fuck out of here. I did my best to run forward, my limp not helping me. Sadly, I saw it wasn't the outdoors as I reached it. It was coming from floating glass orbs that lit up a large circular shaped room that I found myself standing in. Like the hall, the floor was made from concrete. It was painted different colors of dark green and grey, stones pressed into the mixture here and there. A light fog began to roll in from archways the circled the room, the small pieces of wall that were there covered with old, dusty curtains of fading reds. In the middle of the room, there was a stone throne. It seemed to have seen better days. The structure was crumbling from the back of the seat and cracks covered the entirety of it. It was obvious no one had sat in it for years.

The sound of voices coming behind me made my heart race in my chest. Glancing around, I tried to find somewhere to hide. My only choice was behind the throne where I hobbled to. Crouching down, I pulled my legs into my best and tried to make myself as small as possible. Closing my eyes, I buried my face into my knees. The voices came closer and I could hear the sound of boots on the cement floor.

"I told you before that it was pointless. It's going to happen." A deep voice said as the footsteps entered the room. Someone else scoffed.

"I think you're foolish to put so much blind faith into this plan. I'll never doubt your loyalty but even you can agree that it's farfetched. It's been twenty years." Another voice, much deeper than the first said.

"Try to remember what's at stake, son." The first voice said. "Our Empress will lead us to victory." Chills ran down my spine as I heard the footsteps begin to fade away, heading in the direction I had just come from. Empress? That couldn't be what they had said. I had heard wrong. It wasn't true.

"As you say, father." Their voices faded into the distance, leaving me in the room. Slowly, I raised my head. I didn't move until I knew for sure they were gone. Standing, I peeked over the throne and saw the room was empty. From here, I could see a large balcony that had been hidden before from where I had been standing. A balcony meant the outside world. Maybe I could find a way down. Biting down a cry of pain, I limped my way towards the terrace. There had to be a way down. I didn't care if I had to scale down a drain pipe.

As I neared the balcony, something began to illuminate what I thought was the night sky. At first, I thought it was the moon. It seemed closer that usual but still in the sky. My hope began to vanish though when I saw the deep blues and bright whites on the floating orb in the sky. I could also make out the land masses of the continents.

"No…" I whispered, shaking my head. Tears welled in my eyes as I looked up at planet Earth. Below, I saw the surface of the moon. Craters marked the ground, grey and dead dust unmoving due to the lack of gravity. I was on the fucking moon.

"Kimmy! Glad you could pay me a visit." A shrill voice said behind me. I didn't have to turn around to know it was that of Rita Repulsa.

* * *

"Tommy…" The voice called in the darkness. Spinning on my heel, I did my best to try and see through the thick black around me to find the source. "Tommy…"

"Whose there?" I called out. My voice echoed, vibrating throughout my body.

"Tommy…" The hair on the back of my neck seemed to stand up on end as hot breath touched the skin there. I jumped, my hands up in front of me to fight but it was not use. It was too dark to see what was going on. Whoever was hiding in this deep, dark emptiness wasn't letting me see them. I punched in front of my blindly but made no connection. It felt like I was swinging into water, my actions slowed down as I tried to move. What the hell was going on?

In the distance, I heard a pounding noise. It sounded like it was coming at me from straight ahead. I did my best to run forward but I couldn't be sure if I was moving at all. The pounding continued but it didn't seem to be getting closer. I needed to get there. It might have some answers about what was going on and how to get out of here.

"TOMMY!" A different voice yelled and it caused me to jump right out of my sleep. Sweat pour down my face and neck, drenching the grey cotton tank top I was wearing. My heart was racing in my chest and I looked around my room, looking for the source of the voice. There was none to be found though. Who had called my name like that? I know I had heard it. Running a hand over my face, I cleared the sweat from my forehead. Had it all been a nightmare? The voices I had heard were so real. It was the damn dream again. The same one I've been having on a continuous loop for a week now. I wish I could make heads or tails of it. Every time I try though, I come up empty.

The pounding continued and I realized it was coming from my front door down stairs. Glancing at the clock, I saw it was nearing 2 am. The pounding seemed frantic, telling me whoever it was they were desperate to wake me. Tossing my blanket off of me, I stood from the bed and made my way down the stairs. Pressing my face against the door, I looked through the peephole. To my surprise, I saw it was Jason Lee Scott standing there. He pounded again, the door vibrating against my cheek. Grabbing the doorknob, I pulled the door open.

"Jase, it's too early for this." I muttered, wiping the sleep from my eyes. Jason shook his head, brushing passed me as he entered my house. He was dressed in his leather jacket, a red t-shirt and black jeans. He shook his head again. I wasn't aware that he would be stopping by. Last I knew, he was riding his bike to Oregon to see his girlfriend, Trini Kwan.

"She's gone, Tommy." He said, pacing the floor of the living room. "I got the call tonight. I've been trying to reach her since then and nothing. Her friends haven't seen her, her roommates haven't. IT's like she just vanished." I raised an eyebrow at him, confused. The worry on his face was evident, the crease in his forehead deep.

"Who's missing?" I asked, holding up my hands.

"Kim." He replied, stopping to look at me. "The gym called and said she hadn't shown up for work in two days. Tommy, Kimberly is missing."


End file.
